Red
by Iaragon
Summary: Kurama is not an innocent man, and his greatest mistake has never been forgiven. But when Dai drops herself into his life once more, he wonders whether or not he wants forgiveness. RR
1. Chats

GOOOOOOOOD MORNING!

...we are ignoring the fact that it's not morning.

I've returned! After procrastinating for half a year, I am ready to type and type and type til I can't type no more! WOOT!

* * *

"I want it."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Dai," came the reply. Dai's expression didn't change as they wandered through the expansive gardens.

"You have it. I need it. It certainly isn't of any use to you-,"

"No, but it _is _safe in my hands, rather than having it in Makai where who-knows-what could lay there hands on it." Koenma sighed briefly as he leant down to inspect a miniature tree. "And I mean that in the kindest of ways."

A woman stood not far from his side. She bent over slightly to rub the ear of the black Spirit Fox sitting faithfully at her feet. "It's been a hundred years since the last time something in my possesion was broken or taken from me. You know what my kind is like."

"That's…true," the teenaged demi-god agreed hesitantly. "But you have to understand I don't _entirely _trust you."

She frowned at him and cocked an eyebrow pointedly. "But you let me train your agents."

He pretended as though he couldn't hear her. The young woman brushed a fallen leaf from her hair as her eyes trailed across the huge gardens surrounding them. Flowers of every colour twined themselves around the gigantic white pillars that sprung here and there from the earth to hold up the enormous, feather-light canopy that stretched across them to serve as the only shelter. The fine fabric draped all the way to the springy emerald grass growing beneath their feet. Trees with berries and flowers of every colour sprung elegantly from the ground, while the grounds themselves were fortified by tall pine trees, blocking the garden from any outsider's view.

Dai looked down at her canine companion again, who returned the stare. "Fair enough." She agreed finally. "I'll agree to reasonable terms, if that's what you want."

"Terms?" Koenma replied incredulously. "_You _are willing to agree to _terms? _You must be desperate."

Dai folded her arms and fixed his with a serious stare. "I _need _this, Koenma-sama."

Koenma folded his hands behind his back, chewing his binkie thoughtfully. "I don't see why," he replied. "The trainees are doing well, your territories have been flourishing for the past few years even without his guidance and you – well, you're in perfect condition. My physicians see to that."

Her expression melted slightly to a gradual smile. Koenma studied her curiously as she stared back at him, filing her thoughts. Dai was a medium-sized, skinny, ghastly pale little thing with far too much hair on her head than she needed. The sheer pitch black colour of her hair and eyes created such a stark contrast that Koenma could recognise the youkai a mile away. She had four bold, acid green lines running across her face and neck aswell. The first line started just below the corner of her eye and only spanned to reach below the middle of the same eye; the second was level with her lips and stretched from her jawbone to very nearly meet the corner over her mouth; the third wasn't quite as visible, located right under her jaw and just barely touched her jugular; and the fourth – the shortest – was just about on the midline of her neck and disappeared behind her curtain of hair. She wore funny clothes for a youkai – a big, long white jacket that looked suspiciously like something from the Human world, with numerous doodles and drawings on it, the main one being a rather well-done dragon insignia winding across the right sleeve and onto the back. It was awkward on her figure; too long around the arms and not long enough down her skinny body.

"You're giving my coat that look again."

Koenma snapped out of his thoughts and fixed Dai's amused face with an affronted gaze. "What look?"

"The look that says 'You-Must-Have-Lost-a-Bet-to-Be-Wearing-That-Thing'." Her grin widened to reveal sharp canine teeth.

The demi-god shifted uncomfortably. "Well," he began in his defense. "It _is _rather – wait – you're changing the subject!"

Dai's grin vanished with purely innocent confusion. "Was I?"

Koenma's eyes narrowed into a scathing glare that could have boiled water. "How can anyone make serious conversation with you if you keep avoiding the subject?"

Like a switch, the smile was once again in place. "They don't." she wandered over to the oak tea table sitting outside of the canopy's shelter and in the full sun. She sat down comfortably and poured herself a cup of hot water before reaching towards another pitcher and filling a dish with cool water as the fox hopped up onto the chair next to her.

"So," she continued as Koenma sat down across from her, sprinkling some dry leaves into her hot water. "Can I have the elixir, or no?"

Koenma frowned. "But I don't understand why you _need _it, Dai, Kosuke isn't targeting you anymore…"

The teen's voice trailed off at Dai's expression. She stared into her cup of tea, held firmly in both hands. Her shoulders were relaxed but the expression on her face was preoccupied; serious.

"He's targeting my children," she murmured, sliding a finger slowly around the rim of her glass. "And alone against Kosuke…I can't fend him off much longer. If my mate was still alive, maybe there could have been a chance, but…" her voiled trailed into silence. Very abruptly Dai sat up, expression snapping back down to earth as she delicately set the cup down. "In any case, they would be safest in Ningenkai. He hasn't found a slip in the barrier as of yet, and they could be away from him for at least a decade or so."

Koenma sighed and rubbed his forehead. "When you put it that way…" he muttered irritably. Finally, he sighed. "Fine, fine. Just because you've been doing some good work with my agents these past few years. And I like your kids." He cast a glance over at the fox sitting with them. She wagged her tail. Koenma looked back at Dai. "You understand it might take over a week for me to get it to you, what with all the paperwork that comes with it, and then there's dealing with _Father…_" the teen shuddered involuntarily.

"You're a peach," Dai winked at him, smiling broadly. He rolled his eyes.

"Sure, fine. By the way. You might've noticed some of my people's Spirit Energies on your property-,"

"Taking care of tiny little demon pests," Dai cut in amusedly as she stood up. "Yes. I did."

Koenma nodded. "Well, I only thought that you might like some help keeping those demons in check around here-,"

"And a wonderful job they're doing. In fact, I just might have to thank them personally."

"Personally?" Koenma gave her an odd look as she wandered over to the large pine trees. "But when would you ever see-,"

Something suddenly came bursting through the trees, scattering needles on all directions and frightening a number of colourful birds from the perches. A tall, orange-haired somebody hit the ground with a bone-breaking force and skid on his back a few feet to stop at Dai's feet. Dai sipped her tea casually as she looked down at Kazuma Kuwabara.

"Good morning," she greeted with a Chesire cat smile.


	2. Confusion All Around

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

O.o lots and lots of feedback. Wow…

As for me old stories, I doubt they'll be back on. At least, they won't be back on as they are now. Except for the Harry Potter one.

Summary: 'Dai trains agents for Koenma…at least, she does _now._'

* * *

Last time…

_Something suddenly came bursting through the trees, scattering needles on all directions and frightening a number of colourful birds from the perches. A tall, orange-haired somebody hit the ground with a bone-breaking force and skid on his back a few feet to stop at Dai's feet. Dai sipped her tea casually as she looked down at Kazuma Kuwabara._

"_Good morning," she greeted with a Chesire cat smile.

* * *

_

**Confusion All Around**

"You can pet her, you know."

Kuwabara's eyes swiveled sideways towards the seat that this strange lady – Kai or Sai or something – was sitting, looking quite ready to laugh at any second. She was stirring her tea round and round with a cinnamon stick and had apparently been watching him watch the even weirder-looking black fox who was, for lack of a better word, _politely _lapping up water from the saucer sitting infront of her. Her tiny pink tongue was very noticeable when put against the stark colour of her fur, from her jet black nose to her pitch black fur, to the soft grey shades located on her paws, underbelly, ears and tail. She had a delicate, fine black ribbon tied loosely around her neck like a collar. Her tail curled gently under the seat of her chair as she drank.

Again, Kuwabara glanced uneasily at the strange lady. She gave off funny vibes, but not so much Spirit Energy, and he didn't really trust it.

There came a short, irritated huff from across from him. "Just _pet _her, Kuwabara, for the love of Enma. You've been staring at Mahiru for the past ten minutes."

That was the thing. One minute, Kuwabara felt himself being thrown across the forest by Hiei, and the next here he was, invited to drink tea by some strange woman that seemed to be a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Why Koenma was here, Kuwabara didn't have the faintest clue. His head hurt just trying to process all that was going on. And shouldn't his friends have come for him by now?

Surprise dawned across Kuwabara's face as he looked from the fox – Mahiru – to Koenma again. "It has a name?"

There was a soft 'clink' as – as _Dai, _that was it – as Dai let her cinammon stick drop against the table. Koenma's expression had soured even further.

"Everything. Has. _A name._" The woman's voice had suddenly turned brittle. Mahiru straightened from her drinking, made a small whining noise, and hopped off the chair to skitter around and sit under Dai's chair. Kuwabara shifted awkardly.

"Sorry," he began. "I really didn't-,"

"Don't apologise." Dai leant back in her chair, picking up her cup of tea and taking a small sip of it. "To be upset I would have to have some sort of expectation from you. But you're only Human…what is there to expect but rudeness and old age?"

"Kuwabara, what are you doing out in Makai anyways?" Koenma broke in, swiftly changing the subject. His voice was cool. "I don't remember authorising another trip-,"

"Yeah, we got some weird Energy signals coming from this place," Kuwabara picked up what looked like a cucumber slice and scrutinised it suspiciously to take his mind off the abruptly cold tone of Dai's voice. "Me and Urameshi came to check it out. Shorty came along for the ride, too. Kur-,"

Koenma kicked his chin, hard. Dai paused with her drink halfway to her mouth to looked at Kuwabara curiously as he yelped.

"Are you okay?" she asked, frosty demeanor having melted within record time. Kuwabara wondered at this as he rubbed his knee, but only got more confused with the situation at large.

"What were you saying about _Suuichi?_" Koenma asked, looking at him pointedly. Kuwabara stared back at him with a confused expression in place.

"Uh…_Suuichi…_" he repeated in the same tone as Koenma. "Stayed home…because…it's his mother's...birthday...?"

"And that sort of smooth undertone doesn't at all make me suspicious that you're talking about something you shouldn't be," Dai regarded Koenma closely with the bare hints of amusement, setting her chin in her hand. Without bothering to pursue the subject, Dai glanced back at Kuwabara's obviously puzzled expression. "Got a question?"

"Yeah," Kuwabara replied, glancing down at his own forgotten cup of tea. Dai had taken up stirring hers with the cinnamon stick again. "Well, um. Y'know. I sorta…um…who the heck are you?"

Dai almost laughed this time, and nearly fell off her chair in the process. Her elbow managed to hit the butter dish in any case. She didn't seem to notice. "That's a very…_vague _question. How about we wait until your other friends are here? Speaking of which, I'm going to have to find more chairs…"

Dai stood up and wandered off with Mahiru trotting alongside her. Kuwabara looked back at Koenma for help. Koenma just looked bored.

"She must've fallen on her head at some point," he offered as explanation.

"How long do you think it'll take before Urameshi and-,"

"KU-WA-BAR-_AAAAA!_"

It was at that ridiculously opportune moment that Yusuke Urameshi chose to charge through the thick pine branches and almost run into the table. He stopped just short of it and glared at Kuwabara.

"What the hell is wrong with you! I have been looking for you for _twenty fricking minutes _and calling your name like a damn idiot and here you are sipping _tea _with – with-," Yusuke paused to shift his gaze to Koenma, who stared blandly back.

A moment passed.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

"Stop making a racket, fool," A dark haired, red-eyed youkai snapped as he appeared a ways behind the tall Spirit Detective, and apart from the group. "This isn't the place to raise your voice."

"What do you mean 'this isn't the place?' And what the hell are _you _doing here?" Yusuke pointed down at Koenma. "And why are you all having a _tea party? _What the hell – _where did you come from?_"

"I have been here for the past two hours, Yusuke," Koenma grated out evenly. "And I came from Reikai, quite obviously. Honestly, use your head."

"Don't worry, Urameshi," Kuwabara assured him. "You're only half as confused as me!"

Yusuke groaned. "What else is there that's going to-,"

"Good Morning," a voice greeted. Dai walked back towards them from the way she had come, holding two extra chairs, one in each hand, smiling delightedly. "More guests! I haven't had this much company for a good eighteen years." Lightly Dai placed the seat down and looked up at Yusuke. "And what would be your name?"

Yusuke stared at her. Finally, he looked back at Koenma. "Okay, who the hell is the chick?"

Koenma rolled his eyes. "Yusuke, meet Dai. Dai, meet Yusuke Urameshi."

"Take a seat," Dai insisted, motioning to a chair. "Have some tea, Yusuke Urameshi."

"Huh?" Yusuke gave her a funny look as he slowly sat down. "I don't get it."

"Neither do I!" Kuwabara chirped, finally giving up on confusion and deciding to enjoy his cold tea.

Dai walked around to the empty chair on Yusuke's right side, next to her own chair, and gently pulled it out. She looked towards Hiei, who had been silent during the entire ordeal. She bowed slightly towards the chair and motioned to it with a small wave of her hand.

"Hiei-san," she murmured in a questioning voice. Her tone calmed. "Come and sit with me."

Hiei stared at her. Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Sorry, lady," he began, picking up a cookie and popping it in his mouth. "Hiei doesn't do stuff like-,"

Yusuke stopped to stare at the koorime now occupying the seat next to him. Hiei glared back.

"Speak and die, detective."

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Yusuke demanded of Dai as she plopped back down in her seat.

"Lately I've noticed people have been kind enough to get rid of my pest problem," Dai reached out and stuck another cinammon stick in her cup. "I wanted to thank you."

"But _who are you?_" Yusuke wanted to know.

"Well, I'm a proud mother of at least four, current owner of this territory, and Koenma's lackey."

Koenma gave her a dirty look.

"_At least _four?" Kuwabara echoed. "How can you be a mother of _at least _four?"

Dai laughed nervously. "Well, I have three biological children, and, uh, presently another little girl is under my care…but over the years I've taken care of lots of little youkai, and though I like to consider myself as a parent to them, I might just be getting a big head." She tapped the table lightly with her fingers. "But I'm boring. Let's focus on your three."

The skinny woman got up once again and bowed deeply. "Thank you very much," she began. "I don't get to come home as often as I used to, so it's nice to come home without being attacked on my own lands."

"Yes," Koenma began, finishing off his tea. "Now. If you three are done making unauthorised trips into Makai, you can go on your way."

There was a silence.

"That was it?" Yusuke asked dubiously. "All you wanted to do was say 'thanks a lot' and give us some tea?"

She rubbed her elbow, just noticing the amount of butter found there. "Presently," she answered. "We'll see eachother again, don't worry. You should come by my camp someday."

Kuwabara paused with a cucumber halfway to his mouth. "Camp?"

"That's Dai's job," Koenma stood from the table. "She trains my Spirit Intelligence Agents for me."

"Oh," Yusuke got up, too. "Huh. Cool. Well, we gotta go…c'mon, Kuwabara."

Kuwabara got up from the table and joined Yusuke. Hiei stood, aswell. Dai folded her hands behind her back.

"Goodbye, Kazuma-san!" she said enthusiastically as they walked away. "Yusuke-san! Hiei-san!"

They could hear Yusuke muttering feverntly under his breath things like _'Creepy chick,' _and _'Still have no damn idea what the hell is going on,' _and _'Let's get the hell out of here.'_

As they disappeared into the foliage, Koenma gave her an odd look. "Have you met Hiei before?"

"Hm?" Dai looked over at him and cocked her head to the side. "Once or twice."

"I see. Thank you, Dai. I'll have that_thing_ we were talking about earlier ready for you in a week's time."

Dai bowed respectively to him. "Goodbye…" she said as he disappeared with a loud 'pop'. She stayed bent over after his disappearance. Her voice turned quiet.

"…my master."


	3. Pet and Master

Mwhm. Mmhmmmhmhmhm.

Yeaaaah, not much to say, really. Don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

* * *

**Last time… **

_As they disappeared into the foliage, Koenma gave her an odd look. "Have you met Hiei before?"_

"_Hm?" Dai looked over at him and cocked her head to the side. "Once or twice."_

"_I see. Thank you, Dai. I'll have that package we were talking about earlier ready for you in a week's time."_

_Dai bowed respectively to him. "Goodbye…" she said as he disappeared with a loud 'pop'. She stayed bent over after his disappearance. Her voice turned quiet. _

"…_my master."_

**Pet and Master**

"That was the stupidest thing I have ever done."

"I dunno, Urameshi," Kuwabara popped a pickle into his mouth straight from the jar. "She was pretty nice for a demon and everything."

Yusuke rolled his eyes. "It was still weird. Why would some chick invite us for five seconds of tea time just to thank us for killing some demons?"

"It sounds as though you had an interesting time in Makai," Kurama deducted, eyes drawn to the papers sitting before him as he calmly solved a number of quadratic relations. The four of them lounged in Kuwabara's living room, Kurama sitting on the floor, bent over the coffee table, Yusuke lounging in the love seat while Kuwabara occupied the couch. Hiei was in his usual seat at the windowsill.

"You totally missed it, Kurama," Kuwabara sat up straighter on the couch. "There was this weird lady, see-,"

"She was out of her tree," Yusuke added for emphasis.

"-and she had this _huge _garden-thingy with a big, like curtain overtop of it-,"

"-what was up with that, anyways? What could a flimsy piece of fabric like that _possibly _do to protect you from the sun-,"

"-and she seemed to really, really like cinnamon in her tea-,"

"-with the craziest coat I've _ever _seen-,"

"-actually, I don't think she drank _anything _from her cup while we were at the table-,"

"-creepy lines all over her face like some kinda heavy metal punk or something-,"

"Shut up, Urameshi!" Kuwabara gave Yusuke a dirty look. Yusuke retaliated with a rather rude hand gesture. "You're not _helping._"

Yusuke scoffed. "Who said I was trying to help?"

"…shut up!"

Yusuke made a face. Kuwabara crossed his arms grumpily. "Anyways," he began again, looking back at Kurama. "She works for Koenma, I guess-,"

"He was there too, the freaking creep!"

"Shut _up, _Urameshi! – she works for Koenma and trains agents or something – but the weird thing was, she only called us there for about two minutes to thank us for getting rid of some of the demons around her place, and then we left. She didn't want anything else to do with us…funny, huh?"

"Very," Kurama replied, carefully arranging his notes in the correct order. His tone changed, but the difference was so minimal Hiei was the only one to glance towards him. "I wonder what she was planning."

* * *

_"Hina. Please. Try to calm down."_

_"How can you ask that of me? They're going to kill him! They want to throw my child off the island! Please! Please do something!"_

_"Please try to understand. I can't simply do things of this stature without my master knowing. If he learns about this-,"_

_"Please! You can't let them kill him, Dai-san, you just can't! He's only a newborn! If he's dropped off the side of our island you know he wouldn't survive the fall!"_

_"…"_

_"Dai-san!"_

_"…mind his head, Hina. I think it's time both of them went for a nap."_

_"Does this mean - ?"_

_"He will be exiled from the island. No matter how welcome your people make me feel, I'm still an outsider."_

_"But-,"_

_"But…he won't die. He'll live a long life. I promise."_

_"You don't know how much this means to me, Dai-san…"_

_"Have you thought of names for them, yet?"_

_"Yes…this is my daughter, Yukina…and my son. Hiei…"_

* * *

Dark red orbs snapped open as a dove flew off from a tree branch close by. Those same eyes watched its flight into the waiting sky streaked with the first dim lights of morning, before Hiei shifted on his branch and within moments found himself on the ground. His fingers twitched in aggravation. It had only been a week since their brief meeting with that woman – he didn't need this. He didn't need these stupid, useless dreams.

Another few seconds passed before he found himself balancing on the second-floor windowsill of a fairly nice house. The demon had only tapped on the glass once before it was opened very slowly and very deliberately to reveal the dark eyes of Kurama.

"Hiei," he began in a slow, drawn out tone. "It is three o'clock in the morning. I very much hope someone is dying a slow and painful death."

"Hn." Hiei moved past the fox and into the room. He drew his sword as he turned sharply on his heel. "Spar. Now."

Kurama stood there, staring at him as he slowly closed the window with one hand. "It's far too early, Hiei-,"

"_Now_, fox," Hiei's sword pressed itself against Kurama's collarbone as the shorter demon continued to stand there, his body completely tense. "I need to spar now."

A moment passed in silence while the two demons stood shrouded in darkness. Finally, Kurama spoke. "This is about Dai-san," he deducted.

Hiei's eyes narrowed. "Don't talk to me," he hissed, drawing back his weapon only to slice it level with Kurama's temple. "About that woman."

The kitsune dodged soundlessly. Hiei pursued him past the computer chair and across the room. His Spirit Energy flared. Kurama wordlessly opened the second, larger window to his left and moved through it to drop lightly onto the grass below. Hiei followed in a gust of wind as the redhead slipped through the shadows and further into the backyard, where the foliage became thicker the farther away they moved from the house. Hiei's sword slashed through vine after vine, yet finally thick, heavy roots sprouted from the ground and clung to his feet, stopping the koorime dead. It was only then that Kurama finally, and calmly, turned to regard his angry companion.

"Hiei," he began after a moment. "Sparring won't make you feel better."

"Yes it will."

"You know it won't. If you want to talk to her, all you have to do is-,"

"I don't want to talk to that woman," Hiei glared at him. Kurama sighed slowly. Hiei's fingers tightened around the hilt of his katana. "Don't assume I have any connection at all to-,"

_POOF!_

"You two, Koenma's calling for-," Botan paused midway through her sentence and looked between Hiei, who was literally rooted to the spot, and Kurama, whose stand was completely calm with his hands resting in his pockets. She blinked. "…erm…am I interrupting something?"

"No, Botan," Kurama mentioned, turning to face her. "You were saying?"

Botan smiled down at them from her oar. "Koenma's calling a meeting."

Kurama frowned slightly. "At this time of night?"

Botan only smiled apologetically. "He _did _say it was important…"

"I suppose I wouldn't have gone back to sleep in any case." Kurama looked towards Hiei as the roots relinquished their grip on him. "Let's go, Hiei."

Hiei looked as if he wouldn't. Kurama raised an eyebrow. After another tense moment, the koorime's eyes narrowed and wordlessly he moved towards the portal Botan summoned. Kurama allowed Botan to go next before he himself walked through.

In Koenma's office, Yusuke and Kuwabara were on the floor, sleeping. Koenma was giving them aggravated looks. Hiei was already at the window, staring outside with an unreadable expression.

Koenma's fingers were close to ripping the important-looking folder he held in his hands. "_Wake – them – up_," he hissed, glaring at the two sleeping humans.

Kurama let out a small breath that could be specified as a sigh and did just that. He pulled a rose from his hair, transformed it into a Rose Whip, and with a sharp flick of his wrist made a loud _CRACK._

"WAAAH!" both boys jolted up, looking around wildly. Yusuke was the first to see Kurama replacing the flower in his bold locks.

"Hey! What's the big idea!"

Wordlessly, Kurama pointed towards Koenma. Immediately the young man bristled. "AND YOU!" he bellowed, anger successfully redirected at the toddler. "WHY ARE WE HERE AT _THREE IN THE MORNING_, TODDLER! I'M TIRED!"

"WELL IF YOU WOULD STAY AWAKE FOR FIVE MINUTES I COULD TELL YOU!" Koenma glared back, obviously in a bad mood. He chucked the folder at Yusuke. "I need you to bring this to Squad Seven of Spirit Intelligence. They're in Makai at the moment, taking care of a youkai infestation in the Northern Territory. I believe Dai should be with them, and so I want you to bring her back here. Understand?"

Yusuke blinked. "Dai who?"

Kuwabara yawned. "You mean the crazy lady?"

Koenma eyes narrowed. "Yes. _The crazy lady_. I could call her here myself but she's not especially fond of being forcefully dragged into the Spirit World without notice. You'll bring her here, so that she can get pissed off at you and not me."

Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks." He strut towards the door. "Alright, whatever. They better be awake. C'mon, Kuwabara."

Yusuke and Kuwabara went out first. Kurama turned to leave as well, but Koenma paused him.

"Kurama," he began, sitting back in his chair. He frowned. "I'm trusting you and Dai to behave."

"There's no need to be worried." Was Kurama's calm reply. "It's been a long, long time since Dai-san and I were allies. Come on, Hiei."

Hiei glared at him. "No."

Koenma raised an eyebrow. "Hiei, you do realize I can still put you in Spirit Prison."

The koorime glared at him coldly before silently getting off the windowsill and moving through the door. Kurama watched him leave before quietly following.

* * *

"Man, I'm so tired," Kuwabara groaned, dragging his feet through the grass. Yusuke sighed.

"How much farther is it?" he complained, pushing past another branch.

Something rustled in the bushes to their right. All four of them stiffened. A little girl stepped out of the shadows, staring up at them with big, round blue eyes. Her soft pink hair was in two tiny pigtail braids on either side of her head. She was wearing a little white nightgown and a loose black ribbon around her neck like a bow. Two tiny black ears replaced human ears on either side of her head. She clutched tightly to a small stuffed bunny.

Yusuke let his finger drop in surprise. "A kid?" he began incredulously.

Hiei's hand removed itself from his hilt as Kuwabara's Spirit Sword disappeared. Kurama's hand dropped as well as he moved forward.

"Mahiru-san," he murmured. The little girl's eyes widened. She hugged his leg tightly. The redhead touched her crown of pink hair. He gazed down at her calmly. "Where is Dai-san?"

"You know her?" Yusuke began in surprise.

Kuwabara blinked. "Mahiru…wasn't that the name of Dai's fox?"

Kurama nodded. "Yes, it is."

Yusuke frowned. "How would you know? You weren't-,"

A person behind them chuckled. "How can you be so curious at this time in the morning?"

Kuwabara yelped and whipped around. Dai raised one hand and waved lightly, smiling. "Ohayo."

Mahiru skittered past the four men and tugged on Dai's coat, her little black tail following behind her. "Ah! Mahiru-chan, there you are!" Dai picked up the little girl proudly. "Found you, found you. It only took my fifteen minutes, ne? Is it my turn to hide now?"

Mahiru shook her head and buried her face in Dai's shoulder. She peeked out at the Tantei shyly.

Yusuke scratched his head. "Uh. Right. Is Squad Three around here somewhere?"

"Squad Seven, imbecile," Hiei snapped before disappearing into the tree branches.

"Seven. Yeah. I meant seven."

Dai nodded lightly. "Yes. They're that w-," Dai turned to direct her pointed finger left, but rammed into a tree in the process. She made a squeaky noise and rubbed the side of her head as Mahiru giggled. "…ow…they're that way."

Yusuke began walking that way. Kuwabara grabbed his arm. "Wait, Urameshi, weren't we supposed to bring her back with us?"

Dai paused with her foot midway to the ground. She'd already begun walking away. The youkai glanced back at Kuwabara curiously. "Pardon?"

Kurama smiled pleasantly. "Koenma gave the order that you were to return with us to his office, Dai-san."

Dai smiled back just as pleasantly. "How kind of you to take such a troublesome task upon yourself, Youko-sama. I'm terribly flattered."

Yusuke and Kuwabara watched blankly as the pleasantries continued.

"No, no, the honour is mine."

"Considering you went out of your way, I suppose there is nothing I can do but come with you, of course."

"Of course. Thank you, Dai-san."

"No, thank you, Youko-sama."

"...those smiles look a little on the tight side…" Kuwabara deducted. Yusuke gave the two youkai a flat look.

"Jeez, you can feel the tension." His tone got louder. "Hey, do you two know each other?"

Both turned to him at the exact same time with identical smiles and answered, "Yes."

Mahiru giggled. Abruptly the sound seemed to get caught in her throat and an odd gurgling sounds surfaced as the little girl's eyes widened. Dai's gaze turned to her, before it flickered briefly to the east. She bowed deeply.

"I'll return momentarily," she mentioned without hurry before her form disappeared completely.

A silence reigned over the clearing.

"Well." Yusuke finally began. "Once again, I deem her one trumpet short of an orchestra. And you!" Yusuke turned an accusatory glance on Kurama. "Why didn't you say something earlier? And now that I think about it – Hiei, you know her _too_, don't you!"

"Dai-san and I are not on the best of terms," was Kurama's brief reply before he began walking in the direction of Squad Seven. Hiei's only reply from his hiding place in the treetops was an irritated 'hn'.

"Yeah, I figured," Yusuke rolled his eyes as he walked up beside the kitsune. "So how'd you get on the creepy lady's bad side?"

"It's not that we were in an argument, or that I did something to offend her or vice versa." Kurama slid his hands into his pockets quietly while his eyes traced through the foliage ahead. "My existence is…a weight on Dai-san."

Kuwabara looked skeptical. "So…she hates you…because you're alive?"

"More or less."

Yusuke scoffed as they passed into a large meadow. "That's…that's…" he trailed off slowly as a large, silent battlefield came into view. Dead bodies littered the ground in large heaps upon heaps. Blood drenched the air and hammered their senses full on, as though there was some sort of wall that had blocked the smell before.

Hiei dropped from the branches and regarded the battlefield coolly. "They're dead," he stated in an icy tone before turning and walking back into the forest.

Kuwabara looked around with wide eyes. "What kind of…what kind of demons did this?"

"Youkai in this region aren't known for this sort of violence," Kurama mentioned, taking a slow breath.

"Those youkai weren't from this region."

Dai appeared in front of them. She was without Mahiru, but appeared quite unaffected by the scene behind them. "So. Are we leaving soon, or no?"

Yusuke stepped forward. "We can't just leave without-,"

"There are no survivors." She mentioned calmly. "Go on. Back into the forest. I'll tell you all about it in there."

The Spirit Detective glared. "No! I won't just-,"

Dai gazed at him through her blank black eyes. "Yusuke Urameshi," she began, and her tone had changed. It wasn't angrier, or colder, or in any way harsher than it had been. But something about her speech was abruptly…different. "Get back into the forest, please."

For a tense moment Yusuke only glared at her. With a soft curse he turned and stormed back through the foliage. Dai glanced at Kuwabara, and hesitantly the ningen did the same. Kurama walked up beside Dai as she moved to follow.

"Kosuke did this," he mentioned quietly, staring straight ahead.

"Of course." Dai's voice was just as low and unfriendly as his.

"The drop in temperature, however…"

Dai blinked once, slowly. "Erus was here too."

There was a brief silence as they passed into the trees. Kurama finally sighed. "…then he's alive."

"Apparently."

It took about two minutes to find Yusuke and Kuwabara sitting together on a fallen log. Hiei was standing next to them, looking as though he had just jumped down from the tree branches. Dai paused across from them, and studied them curiously while Kurama took a seat next to Yusuke on the mossy forest floor. Only when he was seated did she finally sit down.

"Squad Seven exterminated the original youkai threat about fifteen minutes ago." She mentioned. "Almost exactly at the same time you entered Makai."

A scowl formed across Yusuke's face. "How can you tell when we got here?"

"Because you were in the same general vicinity as Mahiru. Mahiru is my responsibility. Thus I make it a point to be aware of any possible threats close by."

"But _how_-,"

"What killed Squad Seven," Dai continued, picking boredly at a crusty piece of mud on her sleeve. "Is Kosuke. Mainly."

"Who's Kosuke?" Kuwabara asked.

Dai leant back against a tree stump and yawned a little. "Demon. Quest class, I'd suppose at this point. Isn't particularly fond of this area in general. He also had help from a youkai Koenma-sama had previously assumed dead, named Erus. He's very old. Also quest class. Kosuke's uncle."

"So why would these two guys kill all those Spirit Agents?" Yusuke wanted to know.

Dai set her chin in her hand. It was obvious that she found this Question and Answer game not-so-amusing. "Kosuke doesn't like this territory because it was inhabited by some…" and at this point Dai seemed to pause, as if holding back from making a rather biting comment. "…demons…a few years ago. These demons had control of thousands of lesser youkai. What bothers Kosuke, or what he's paranoid about, is that this territory still might be chalk full of demons faithful to their memory. So he killed the agents because they were assigned to this district. He'll kill near anyone if he finds them in this territory." She watched a beetle march past. "He's also looking for revenge."

"She's not so good at the whole 'explaining' thing," Kuwabara whispered to Yusuke. "I keep thinking of more questions the more she talks."

"Wait, hold on," Yusuke frowned. "You said that the agents destroyed the first wad of youkai fifteen minutes ago. That means that you knew they were being killed while you were talking to us."

She appeared amused that he noticed this. "That's right."

The teen stood up. "Then you could have done something – !"

"No, sorry. I would have been very, very useless."

"Well _we_ could have done something! _If you had just said_-,"

"That wouldn't have worked either," she scratched her nose and watched Yusuke storm up to her, glaring.

"WHY NOT?" he demanded hotly.

Dai watched him for a moment, fascinated, before a wide, friendly smile stretched across her lips. "Because if you touched even a hair on Kosuke's head," she mentioned, standing up and brushing herself off. "I would have killed you."

Yusuke stood there blankly as Dai turned away and started wandering to the left. "Now where has that kitsune gone to…? Mahiru!"

Yusuke's fists clenched. "That's stupid…" he hissed, turning to glare at her back. "That's stupid! You're stupid! You don't make any sense! Here this guy who's screwing everybody in the area over and you won't even let us kill him! _Why the hell not?_"

"Mahiruuuuu!"

"LISTEN TO ME, DAMN YOU!"

Dai paused in the process of cupping her hands around her mouth. She glanced back at Yusuke. "Pardon?"

Yusuke had had just about enough of this. "Why won't you let us kill him? Are you on his side!" he aimed his finger directly at Dai's right eye. "You're an enemy, aren't you?"

There was a silence.

"Mahiruuuu!"

The Spirit Detective twitched as he was completely ignored and Dai went about calling for Mahiru. By this time, the sun was already up. Yusuke's fists clenched at his sides.

"Kurama," he spat after a moment. He turned to the fox and pointed at Dai. "You know her, you try to make sense of her!"

"I'm quite aware of Dai's standpoint on this subject." Kurama answered quietly, his eyes set on a small black crow about to take off from the higher branches of a tall tree. "She'll listen to Koenma, and that's all you need to worry about."

"I'm confused," Kuwabara mentioned, still sitting on the log.

Hiei glared at him. "Idiot."

"Shut up, Hiei!"

"Hn."

Dai wandered back to the clearing with Mahiru's fox form held in her arms. She hummed happily.

"Sooo," she began, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Are we going to see master yet?"

Kuwabara blinked. "Master?"

"Did I say master? How embarrassing…"

Yusuke scoffed and crossed his arms, glaring pointedly away from her. "What is he, your keeper?" he muttered coolly.

Dai blinked and looked at him in surprise. "Yes," she answered. "How did you guess?"

He turned, and glared at her. "So you need a babysitter now?"

"He doesn't babysit me," Dai chirped. "He commands, I obey. End of cycle."

Hiei 'hn'ed and disappeared. Kurama let out a soft stream of breath and folded his arms gently as his eyes closed. Dai bent over him and smiled. Mahiru sniffed Kurama's red hair curiously.

"I see I'm making you uncomfortable, Youko-sama," she mentioned with the cordial smile still plastered across her face.

"What kind of stuff can he make you do?" Kuwabara inquired. Dai turned her head with the same smile in place and addressed the ningen's question even as she remained bent to Kurama.

"Anything," she replied lightly.

"Really? Could he make you speak another language?"

She seemed amused. "Yes."

"Even if you didn't know it?"

"Yes."

"Could he force you to go to sleep?"

"Yes."

"There's gotta be things he can't make you do," Yusuke snorted. "Like making you kill yourself or-,"

"He can tell me to do that," Dai assured the Spirit Detective. "Because he commands it, I have to do it."

Kuwabara frowned. "That's creepy."

Dai looked close to laughing. "Very creepy."

"What if you were going to have kids or something?" Yusuke demanded. "He couldn't tell you not to have kids-,"

"Yes he could." Dai finally straightened."I'd miscarriage, or have no child at all."

An awkward silence ensued. Kurama's eyes had opened. He was watching Dai closely as she fixed Mahiru's ribbon. She looked up into the tree next to her and smiled.

"Hiei-san," she began. "Could you please point me in the direction of the portal?"

Hiei silently dropped down from the tree. Without a word he started walking away with Dai trailing behind him. After a long moment, Kurama finally stood up.

"…I don't understand," Kuwabara began. "I thought she just had a contract or something with Koenma…but this is some kind of magic thing, isn't it…?"

"If Koenma tells her to hold her breath, Dai with hold her breath." Kurama gently brushed the dirt from his pants, slowly. His expression was quiet. "If he tells her she can't go somewhere, no matter how hard she tries, she won't be able to go there. It's a bind of magic, crafted out of cruelty, applied in arrogance and withheld out of fear." Kurama turned and began moving in the same direction as Hiei and Dai. "For all that Dai has done to please them, none of her masters have ever given her the freedom she deserves."

Dai smiled gently at Hiei's back as she watched his muscles tense. The demon woman raised her eyes to the surrounding foliage. Gently, she let Mahiru down from her arms so the fox could walk beside them, folded her hands behind her back, and wandered up next to the koorime.

"What's this? Three hundred years and no hello for me?"

Hiei's dark eyes traveled to her quickly before they resumed watching the path ahead. Dai laughed slightly. "I'm glad to see you again," she mentioned gently.

Hiei's pace slowed ever-so-slightly for a brief instant. Dai caught it and her expression softened. "Is it so strange, Hiei-san? To be missed by someone?"

"No," he replied almost automatically in a clipped monotone.

Dai's smile was half there, and half not. Her face was smiling, but there was something about how she executed the expression that made it seem distant and unconnected.

"No," she repeated in a more serene tone. "Yes. No. Possibly. Never. Clearly. Not at all."

Her fingers reached up and began tracing her bottom lip in a thoughtful fashion.

Hiei wanted to read her mind. He stood there, staring at a large, bright green leaf a ways to the left like some sort of guilty child. He felt angry at himself for lacking the will to look directly at her, at the face that had become cloudy and blurred in his memory despite what she had done for him as a child. He adored her then; perhaps he should hate her now, for the life she had cursed him with. For the life that he was burdened to uphold.

"I don't need you anymore."

The words were brash and solid. For the first time in a long while, Hiei felt a rancid taste in his mouth the moment he had said it.

"Gomen nasai, Hiei-san." She smiled. He could feel it even without looking at her. "I can't believe that until you're ready to raise your eyes to mine."

She turned and continued the way they had been going just as Kurama joined him. Mahiru, who had been sitting quietly, hopped up and pawed his leg. Hiei realised a minute too late that he'd actually stopped walking at some point.

"Hiei," he prompted as he picked Mahiru up. "Botan will be here soon."

Hiei started walking without a word. Yusuke and Kuwabara caught up with them at some point. It was at about the time Dai paused and the four caught up with her that Botan appeared through a portal.

"Wow! You boys are set to go?"

"Yep," Kuwabara replied.

"Got our luggage." Yusuke jut a thumb to Dai. Botan's happy pink eyes slid to the youkai, who was watching Mahiru trying and catch a leaf, and lost a little colour. Her smile stayed fixed in place, however.

"Well, we better get you through the portal before Koenma gets impatient and-,"

There was a loud _snap_. Mahiru grounded to a halt and stared at the place Dai had previously occupied. Botan sweatdropped.

"Before he does that," she finished lamely.

Kuwabara blinked. "Where'd the lady go?"

Botan giggled and stepped off her oar. "Koenma-sama must've summoned her. He really isn't one for waiting…" she shrugged lightly and then pointed to the portal. "Well, in you go!"

Kurama picked up Mahiru and strode through the portal first. Hiei followed, Yusuke pushed Kuwabara in and snorted at Botan's reproachful look before walking through the portal himself.

They were teleported outside the doors of the palace. Botan smiled in a cheery fashion and led them in, past the hundreds of busy ogres and piles of flying papers and to the door of Koenma's office. She paused before opening it and faulted.

"Oh dear," she began, staring anxiously at the closed door.

"What?" Kuwabara asked, stepping up. Once closer to the door, he could hear angry voices coming form inside.

"-was _coming _for Enma's sake, master, I'm _sick_ of having my molecules rearranged every time you do that-,"

"Stick to the subject, Dai! Why did George the Ogre come in all of two minutes ago and tell me that Squad Seven was wiped out?"

"Maybe it's because they were _wiped out."_

"_What?_ They were your responsibility, Dai!"

"To a degree. It's not my fault if they weren't strong enough to handle a threat that they were already aware of."

"So you'll let them die because of a mistake! They were only _in-training!_ There were hundreds of them in that squadron – _hundreds!_ You – let – all of them – _die!"_

Silence ensued.

"I've decided, Dai. You may not use the Elixir. You may not hide your family in Ningenkai. If this is how you let others cope with Kosuke's threat, then you will do the same."

"Oh."

"The reports we've received…Erus is alive, isn't he?"

"…"

"Dai."

"Yes. Master."

"Then your objective is to kill him."

"I can't do that, master-,"

"I'll send the Tantei with you. And this time, you won't let Kosuke or Erus kill _any _of them."

"…_master_…please."

"No. No amount of begging is going to help you this time. I've let you stay out of the frontlines since the beginning. But you're going to _stop_ this. You are going to kill Erus. _I order it."_

"…your order is recognized. _Master_. And just so we are all aware, I don't appreciate of eavesdropping."

The doors flew open and Dai stood, watching silently as Kuwabara, Botan and Yusuke toppled in a heap. She walked past them, and the two demons who had not been trying to listen in, before moving down the way they had come.

When she noticed they weren't coming, Dai tilted her head slightly with pausing her walk. "Come on," she prompted gently. "And bring something warm."

* * *

...we're going to pretend Hiei can remember a conversation from when he was a newborn. We'll say it's part of his telepathic mumjo jumbo stuff. laughs nervously


	4. Family Matters

Alright, so here's the lowdown...Yusuke's 16, Kurama's 18, Kuwabara's 16, and Hiei's...a foxy grandpa.

Idon't own Yu Yu Hakusho.AND SCORE WITH THE WHOLE MIND READING THING! I'm really sorry, I haven't seen much of Yu Yu Hakusho so I actually don't know much about it. Speaking of which, someone brought up a good point, which is that Yukina has a child eveyr hundred years or something? Such being the case, we're going to have to pretend a little and say that it doesn't apply to this story.

peace!

* * *

**Family Matters**

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!"

"That's a pity. _I _can believe me quite well."

Kuwabara rolled his eyes and sighed heavily as he sat down on the forest floor. This was going to take a while. Kurama wasn't even paying attention to the argument going on in front right in front of him, and was instead quietly tying Mahiru's ribbon around her neck for her, after she had brought it to him with the untied ribbon in her mouth. Hiei was ignoring Dai and Yusuke as well, and seemed to be either cleaning his sword or sharpening it. Maybe just fondling it – Kuwabara couldn't tell form this angle.

Yusuke was looming over a crookedly smiling Dai with his hands balled into fists and a red face. Dai just seemed to get him going for some reason. Yusuke had lost his temper about five times ever since they entered Makai. Kuwabara took a moment to wonder if Keiko had given him the Silent Treatment or something.

The five of them had entered Makai about a half an hour ago, and had hardly moved ten steps since. Dai had mentioned lightly when they were well away from Reikai that Koenma had told her to kill this Erus guy, but he'd never exactly mentioned when, and therefore no rush was needed. She seemed perfectly happy to be constantly yelled at by Yusuke. Kuwabara wondered if she was paying attention to even a word that came out of the Spirit Detective's mouth. He could just imagine some sort of tune playing through her head as she stood there with her arms folded behind her back and a bright smile plastered over her face.

Still, though, Kuwabara reflected. Dai _had _seemed upset there for a moment back at the Palace. Even when he'd asked her if she was thirsty she'd been staring right through him. She hadn't looked angry, like Kuwabara thought she might be judging on her argument with Koenma. She'd looked…_aged. _Worn out…tired. As Kuwabara had watched Dai walk down the hall she even appeared to nearly stumble at one point, but then Kurama had walked past and in that split second when he wasn't looking at her she had somehow regained her balance.

And then there was that weird thing, where Koenma's voice had echoed down the hall and Dai had just slightly flinched away from her master's call. Seconds later she was back in his office, and this time there were ogres standing in front of the threshold so the Tantei could hear nothing.

Kuwabara glanced at the softly humming Dai, Yusuke's yells only white noise in the background, and wondered what Koenma had said in the two minutes she'd been in his office the second time.

"_What do you _mean '_you don't know'?_"

"I'm sorry, Urameshi-san," Dai blinked at him with big, wide eyes, appearing the epitome of innocence. "I wasn't aware you thought of me as a walking map."

"I DON'T! BUT YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A DAMN CLUE WHERE THIS GUY IS!"

Dai scrutinized her claws. "I didn't say that," she mentioned. Yusuke folded his arms crossly.

"Did so," he snapped.

"I said, 'There's a big chance that I won't be able to find him'. I did _not _say, 'I don't have a damn clue where he is.'"

"So what's the difference?"

"The difference is, dear," Dai put a hand in her pocket and pulled out Mahiru's small stuffed bunny. She held it out to the little kitsune who had skittered up to her leg. "That just because I won't be able to find him, does not mean that he won't be able to find us."

Yusuke appeared precariously close to pouting. Lightly Dai dropped herself on the ground and pulled some blades of grass from the ground as Mahiru hopped into her lap with bunny in muzzle.

"Whatever," Yusuke groused.

"_Whatever,_" Dai mimicked.

"You're so annoying!"

"_You're so annoying!_"

"DAMN YOU!"

"Detective." Hiei dropped from the trees directly onto Yusuke, and squashed him in the ground. Hiei stared downwards in disdain. "Your voice is irritating. If you want to keep the ability to use it, shut your mouth."

Kuwabara blinked. "It's pretty cold, though, isn't it?" he mused aloud. "Isn't it supposed to be the middle of summer?"

"Erus is a winter sage, Kuwabara," Kurama commented, watching Mahiru abandon her bunny to play tug of war with an old root sticking from the ground. "Among other things. That's why it's cooling down."

"What, so we're going to have to deal with Christmas in July soon, here?" Yusuke finally got up again as Hiei 'hn'ed and moved to stand against the tree Kurama was under. "This is so stupid! Could you just kill this guy already so we can _go home?_"

The demoness scratched her neck and frowned. After a moment she just sighed lightly and stood up, taking Mahiru with her. "I'll be back later, so do you think you can handle staying alive until then, hm?"

Yusuke rolled his eyes and flopped down under a nearby tree. "Whatever."

"_Whatever."_

"Stop it!"

She chuckled slightly and walked away. Kuwabara watched her until he couldn't see her big white coat anymore before looking back at Yusuke. "So what do you think, Urameshi?"

"I think she's gonna leave us to rot, that's what I think," he grumbled.

Hiei's eyes narrowed. "Bite your tongue."

"And what's your problem, huh? Where do you _know _her from, anyways?"

"Where I know her from is none of your concern," the koorime replied coldly.

"Dai-san's been a caregiver to youkai for hundreds of years, Yusuke," Kurama stated quietly. "It's not in her nature to…'leave us to rot',as you put it."

"I'm just saying it's fishy, is all," the Detective replied. He frowned. "This whole thing is just _weird. _Like, why is she _bound _or whatever to Koenma in the first place? And why is she so touchy about killing these evil dudes?"

"Plus, she and Koenma said something about an Elixir," Kuwabara put in. "What is that? And remember when she said this Kosuke guy was looking for revenge? Revenge for what?"

"If you ask me, it seems as though she's on the evil guy's side," Yusuke muttered.

Kurama sighed softly. "I believe the elixir you mentioned is the Elixir of Life. It's kept in the Reikai Vault under heavy supervision. For humans, it grants immortality. For demons, it gives humanity."

"So what would she do with something like that?" Kuwabara wanted to know.

"Become _human, _obviously, you idiot-,"

"Dai can't become human." Kurama gazed downwards, appearing in thought. "Elixir or not. It's…one of those impossibilities for one of her breed. She would have no use for it."

Yusuke made an annoyed noise. "Then _what-_,"

"Her children."

Kuwabara looked up as Hiei's form moved soundlessly past. "Where-,"

"The woman is guarding children." The koorime stated in a monotone without turning. "She does nothing better with her time."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

"Hn." He disappeared beyond the forestry.

"But if the Elixir stuff wouldn't work on _her,_" Yusuke began slowly in a rare streak of concentration. "Why would it work on her _kids?_"

Kurama stared at him blankly for a brief moment before he answered. "Her children aren't purebloods."

"What kind of demon is she, then?" Kuwabara asked. "She doesn't have any ears or a tail or-,"

Kurama's eyes turned to him, thoughtful but frowning. "She's a dragon."

Someone behind him chuckled darkly. "So she is," a man's voice commented.

Yusuke swore as they stood quickly. "Damn it, Kuwabara, couldn't you sense this guy?"

Kuwabara looked flustered. "I didn't even feel him walk up!"

The tall man purred in amusement as he stood beneath the trees, watching the three with unsettling, ice blue eyes. His long black hair was pulled back from his face in a half-ponytail, ivory skin flawless but for a single, slim white scar that moved in a vertical line on the left side of his bottom lip.

"Good morning, little children." He began in a slow, calm drawl. His eyes roamed easily across all present. "How nice to see you."

Kurama's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?"

The demon's lips tilted upwards. "I am looking for a certain someone," he began softly.

"Sorry, buddy, I don't swing that way," Yusuke snapped, aiming his fingers directly at the youkai. "So why don't you get your ass in gear and go back to wherever you came from or _else._"

"What a hostile group of ningens." He disappeared soundlessly and reappeared right behind Kuwabara, his head tilted as he studying the stiff boy. "I can't understand what she would have to gain from the likes of you."

Summoning his Spirit Sword, Kuwabara whipped around angrily. "Listen, you! I don't-,"

A black blur erupted from the trees and flew straight for the youkai. The stranger disappeared within a millisecond and Hiei was instead forced to dodge Kuwabara's form. Yusuke sent a Spirit Gun shot straight for the place where the youkai had reappeared only to hit nothing but air. The youkai once again appeared a little ways away, eyes narrowed, and raised one of his claws when –

"That's _enough, _Kosuke."

The demon, Kosuke, paused. Slowly, his eyes turned to Kurama and stayed there for a long moment before he moved forward. Kurama's form remained still even as Kosuke approached.

"You," he began slowly, carefully. "Are familiar."

"Indeed," Kurama replied quietly. His tone changed, a streak of amber rose and faded fleetingly in his eyes. "I thought as much."

The demon was stock still for a full minute before his aura erupted and his expression turned livid. The trees swayed and the wind howled as Kosuke's anger grew.

"_You!_" he hissed, his voice a deep, guttural growl. It echoed throughout the forest. "_You're still alive?_"

Behind him, two old brown boots gently touched down in the grass. Kurama's eyes strayed past the angered demon for the briefest of moments before Yusuke's Spirit Gun again shot straight for the demon at the same moment that Kuwabara attacked with his Spirit Sword.

Very abruptly, Kuwabara's Spirit Sword went out. Kosuke's rage stopped. Yusuke's Spirit Gun faded to nothing. The air was instead filled with a massive tension, an aching pressure and seemed to push down on all those present. Kuwabara was forced almost instantly to his knees, while Hiei, Yusuke, Kosuke and Kurama were all bent slightly with the sudden…_heaviness _of the atmosphere.

Dai carefully set down her folded white jacket, which had been clutched against her chest, before regarding the people in front of her with a slight frown. Her eyes lingered on Kosuke, who was growling at her with a venomous glare in place.

"What the hell - ?" Yusuke tried to straighten himself but the strain on his muscles was far too strong.

Kosuke's eyes narrowed as Dai moved a step or two closer. "You don't change," he hissed. "You don't change – your mate is _dead _for not even two decades and already you've found yourself a replacement, haven't you? In _him, _of all youkai!" Angrily, Kosuke jut a finger towards Kurama. "You dishonour his memory! How _dare _you try-,"

"Don't speak to your elder in that manner, Kosuke." Kurama's voice was soft but sharp, his eyes set on the demon despite the obvious weight he felt from the air.

Kosuke's growl rose as he turned his glare on the fox. "You have no right to tell me what to do!"

The pressure on him alone seemed to double. With a sharp hiss he dropped to one knee but aimed an even angrier glare at the woman when Dai bent slightly down scrutinize him.

After a long moment, she sighed softly and straightened once again before turning away. She motioned blandly to the side with a wave of her hand as the air pressure gradually returned to normal. "Go on."

He looked as if he wouldn't, as if he'd instead attack her, but she passed him a brief, subdued glance whilst crouching down to pick up her folded coat and hatefully he turned on his heel. A gust of wind passed and he was gone.

A silence passed as Dai carefully refolded her jacket once more. Finally she turned back to them with a bright smile. "So anyways-,"

"No. Way." Yusuke was up in her face in a millisecond, prodding her with a finger and glaring. "Listen, lady, you might think you're real smart but I haven't even known you for a day and I'm ready to blast your head off. So you better spill it right now and tell me the whole story or shit's gonna hit the fan, _I swear._"

Dai laughed nervously and tried to back away a little. "But-,"

"JUST TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON, DAMMIT!"

CRACK!

"HE WAS JUST HERE!"

Yusuke fell over in shock as Koenma popped up right next to him. Dai closed her eyes and rubbed her neck. "Master," she greeted quietly.

"_I told you to kill him!_" Koenma stepped right on Yusuke's back, ignoring the boy's yelling, and jabbed a finger right into Dai's collarbone.

"You did not," she answered quietly.

"I-,"

"You did not, master." She took a prompt step backwards and folded her arms behind her back. "Or else he would be dead, wouldn't he?"

She turned and started walking. Koenma glared at her back. "Stop!"

She stopped but didn't turn around. Koenma's glare narrowed. "You're going to make this difficult, aren't y-,"

"Dai." Kurama's careful voice slid quietly through the conversation. "Dai, please."

Slowly, Dai turned around with a large, apologetic smile. "So many questions and demands all at once," she mentioned, putting her hands up. "I'm flustered!"

"_Listen, _Dai, I could have well had you killed after your last master died…but…"

Koenma's voice faded as his angry expression slowed. Dai's smile had dropped for a moment.

"I'm sorry if you find my service deficient, Koenma-sama." Her cheeriness had faded. "It would be my pleasure to die for my incompetence."

Yusuke shut up. Kuwabara, who was standing up, blinked. Hiei's eyes narrowed and Kurama kept his eyes on Koenma, who was now staring dubiously at Dai as she blinked slowly; tiredly.

"But by what means would suit the occasion best?" she continued blandly. "Suffocation, maybe. Or perhaps you'd rather I starved myself." Dai tilted her head. "Or what about _seppuku?_"

"You think you're funny, don't you?" Koenma snapped stiffly.

The smile flickered back to life. "Yes, actually."

"Well, this has been a real friendly conversation and all," Yusuke groused, still on the ground. "But _tell _me what is going on with that Kosuke dude!"

"Oh, but Urameshi-san," Dai's smile widened as she knelt down to regard him. "Don't you know? My darling little Kosuke-san is an honoured descendant of the legendary thief, Youko Kurama."

* * *

Woot.

Love/Peace.


	5. An Angry Mother

**Don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.**

**_Last time..._**

_"Oh, but Urameshi-san," Dai's smile widened as she knelt down to regard him. "Don't you know? My darling little Kosuke-san is an honoured descendant of the legendary thief, Youko Kurama."_

**

* * *

**

**An Angry Mother**

_"Why are you still here?"_

_The voice was soft, unstable. So unlike her. Dai kept staring outside, fearing what would happen if she turned her head. Her eyes felt wet, her body felt cold…she sat on the very edge of the bed, watching a little black crow perch on a branch outside the window. _

_He said nothing. His presence was there, solid, but unreadable…Dai couldn't dread sitting there, waiting for him to hurt her, kill her, yell, torment. She had made a dire mistake. She had betrayed his trust completely. Why had he come to her room?_

_It tortured her that her hands were shaking. She clutched them together tightly in her lap. "I'm no use to you," she murmured. Her voice was mournful. She feared she would start crying before him. _

_A weight settled on the bed just next to her. Hastily Dai turned her head away and shut her eyes tightly. _

"_Why are you still here?" she asked again, in a whisper. _

_There was a silence. Finally, she chanced a glance at him only to find him lost in thought, eyes settled on the floor. He looked the same as always, long black hair lilting just slightly from the wind. _

"_I suppose it's because I'm in love with you," he said finally, in a hopeless tone. _

_A shaky noise escaped Dai that was almost a sob. He closed his eyes. She shuddered again. "I'm sorry-,"_

"_No," he stated, opening his eyes. He stared out the window. "Don't."_

_Another silence followed. Dai fiddled with the edge of her torn kimono. "I didn't mean for it to happen," she began softly. _

"_I know."_

"_It's not his fault either-,"_

"_I know it isn't." he sighed briefly and stood again. "I know, Dai."_

_Dai swallowed thickly as he moved out the door.

* * *

_

One second after the statement had been made, Dai was slammed into the ground with enough force to create a crater in the earth. Instantaneously Hiei leapt into the fray with his sword drawn, Yusuke shot a Spirit Gun towards the intruder, and Kuwabara's Spirit Sword came to life. However within a matter of seconds the person who had slammed into Dai – who was now revealed to be Kosuke – was in turn slammed into a nearby tree by that same Dai. Vines erupted from the earth and wrapped around him quickly to keep him in place.

"Ah, Kosuke-san," Dai tapped his chin and he tried to bite her finger off. "You need to learn not to take the bait so easily."

Yusuke looked towards Kurama, who had his arms folded and his head tilted in a way that gave the impression he was slightly irritated. "This guy's a descendant of you?"

Kurama sighed briefly as Kosuke's eyes narrowed. "I have no relations to a _ningen_," the foreign demon snapped.

The fox glanced away. "…yes. He's my grandson."

"AND YOU DIDN'T MENTION THIS _WHY?_"

"Stop jabbering." Koenma pushed past the detective to stand with Dai in front of the livid youkai. "Kosuke! You are under arrest for-,"

The woman next to him slapped a hand over his mouth. "Whoops!" Dai chuckled. "It seems as though my hand, possessed by some sort of spirit, has robbed you of the ability to speak, my master!"

"So Erus would be your offspring." Hiei stated to Kurama whilst keeping a hand on his katana.

Kurama's eyes moved towards Kosuke before they glanced away. "Erus was the product of another youkai, born before my children but from the same mother."

"Well, I think Kosuke-san's cute," Dai clasped her hands together happily, completely ignoring the glares both Koenma and Kosuke had directed towards her. Kosuke growled at her. Dai's expression abruptly dropped.

"Quiet."

Kosuke went quiet. Her tone was the same one she'd used on Yusuke yesterday. His eyes narrowed on her before they turned angrily away. Dai's arms folded themselves over her chest. "You resurrected Erus, Kosuke."

"I don't regret it," he muttered angrily. "You hated him, my uncle was always far more powerful than-,"

Dai's expression didn't change. "Did I say you could speak?"

Again, Kosuke went silent. It was as if Dai held all the power in the world over his head, even as he glared and practically oozed hatred. Her hands were set behind her ridiculously baggy old shirt that seemed to have been navy at some point. She'd drawn herself up to her full height and was standing straight in his wake; to the surprise of the others she was actually much taller when she did so. Suddenly her outfit didn't look so ridiculous – her outrageous contrasts weren't as amusing. She was the perfect, solid image of an Angry Mother.

Yusuke and Kuwabara shuddered…they could relate. Hiei had gone stiff. Koenma, appearing slightly surprised, had taken an instinctive step back to let Dai care for the situation. Kurama, however, had moved just slightly closer and looked ready to intercept at the slightest moment, as though he thought Dai would attack the bound youkai.

"You resurrected Erus." Dai repeated. Her voice was the same simple tone. "Do you know what that means? Look at me when I am speaking."

You could tell he absolutely hated being given orders. Especially by Dai, it seemed. However, despite this Kosuke did raise his head to glare at her as though trying to burn away her soul. He didn't answer.

"It means, Kosuke," Dai continued after only a short moment. "That I will kill him."

He growled. "You _don't_-,"

"Change." Her shoulders slid downwards slightly; her posture relaxed. Once again she was only a scrawny little thing with a dazed sort of look on her face. "No. So go on. If I see you again, I'll force his whereabouts out of you, do you understand?"

"You can't let him go!" Koenma snapped. "He'll only-,"

"Report back to Erus," Kurama murmured to him softly. "And if Erus hears Dai is looking to kill him, he'll meet that threat head-on."

Koenma frowned. Obviously, he didn't like the chances. Dai stood there, bouncing on the balls of her feet again, hand poised over the thick vines keeping Kosuke in place. She smiled slightly. "Orders, Koenma-sama?"

Koenma's jaw turned slowly for a full minute. Finally, he sighed shortly and folded his arms. "This better work, Dai."

"Oh, my master," Dai bowed deeply, head bent. "…you've no idea."

Her claws grasped the first few vines, and with a sharp _snap, _they were sliced. Instantly, Kosuke made to attack her but the moment she made to reach out for him, he was gone.

Koenma's eyes narrowed. "I want a report in the morning."

And so with another loud 'SNAP!' the Tantei and Dai were Koenma-less.

"What a prune," Yusuke muttered. "'_I want a report in the morning.' _Yeah, well, just because I say 'I want a million dollars in the morning' doesn't mean I'm gonna get any now does it?"

Dai sighed dreamily. "Master's so on-task," she mentioned lightly before taking a deep breath. "That went well."

"This coming from the chick that got called a whore about twenty minutes ago," Yusuke rolled his eyes. He frowned. "What was with that, anyways?" he looked from Kurama to Dai and back before grinning in a less-than-modest manner. "Something we should know about?"

He was met with silence. The Spirit Detective blinked. Kuwabara blinked. Hiei disappeared into the trees with a short huff.

"Wait, you mean there _is _something going on?" Kuwabara demanded dubiously.

Kurama and Dai looked at each other. Dai's eyes slowly wandered down to watch a little leaf flutter to the ground. Kurama's eyes closed.

"Yusuke. Kuwabara." He murmured in a very, very careful voice. "Please don't say that again."

His voice was so serious Yusuke dropped the subject completely. Kuwabara searched frantically for something else to say. "Wait – I thought you didn't want to kill this Erus guy?"

"I don't," Dai responded lightly.

"But-,"

"Erus has a very…intricate way of getting things done." Kurama explained. "He will take his time in devising a strategy to take Dai-san down."

"Which is much better than if he'd caught on to my presence thinking I _didn't _want to kill him," Dai added. "Because he would have just dived in for the kill without planning or strategizing at all, and that wouldn't be at all fair."

"Fair?" Kuwabara echoed. Yusuke exchanged glances with him.

"What's with all this 'free chance' and 'fairplay' crap?" Yusuke wanted to know. "This guy's _evil _– or didn't you notice?"

"Erus isn't evil." That look was back again, that tired, worn out look that made Dai appear centuries older. "He just lost the will to trust, or love, or forgive." She looked up at the sky. "And no one can blame him for that."

* * *

It was late. Yusuke, Dai and Kuwabara had long fallen asleep. Kurama watched the moonlight pool across the forest floor as the biting frost crept across the ground. After a long moment, a small breath escaped his lips.

"What's troubling you, Hiei?" he asked quietly. "You've been up there all day."

Soon enough, a dark figure landed soundlessly in front of the fox, his crimson eyes glinting in the bright moonlight.

"Who's the mother?"

His voice was monotone. His eyes were blank. Nothing in the way he stood gave away anything that was going through his head. Even his bored look was perfectly legitimate in appearance.

But Kurama could play that game as well. He raised an eyebrow. "Mother?" he repeated softly, cradling every syllable of the word with a careful tenderness that almost made it glorious to listen to…sugary, hypnotizing. He wore the mask of confusion flawlessly.

A small chord of tension rose in Hiei's voice. "The mother of your children."

Almost instantly Kurama's eyes _sparked _for a millisecond but just as quickly the look was gone. His voice was still soft, soothing. "If you have suspicions," he replied. "Ask Dai-san yourself."

And just as softly a gentle voice spoke just behind Hiei's back. "Go ahead."

The fact that there were so many damn youkai around here that apparently could disguise their presence completely was obviously making Hiei on edge. His head snapped around instinctively to glare at Dai even as his hand rested quite of its own accord on his katana. Dai didn't appear to notice, even as Hiei's eyes hastily drew themselves away from her in a matter of seconds.

"Did you want to ask me that, Hiei-san?" she whispered.

The shorter demon stood in place for a few short moments before he made a small, dismissive sound and disappeared. Dai blinked slowly and yawned before slowly lowering herself onto the ground.

A silence passed. After a while, Dai raised her half-open eyes to look over at Kurama.

"Nothing to say?" she asked lazily.

His voice was cool. "Would you listen?"

"Kosuke-san is family." She shrugged briefly and leant with him against the tree. "And he _is _your grandson."

Kurama kept his eyes on his sleeping companions. "I know nothing about him. He thinks himself Kuronue's grandson." 

"Well, that's the basis of this entire problem," Dai clucked her tongue and scuffed the heel of her shoe in the dirt. "One little youngling goes into denial and suddenly dead people are popping up trying to demolish the North Territory-,"

"Have you seen Erus yet?"

"Of course not." Dai glanced over at him with a frown. "All he wants to do is kill me and all I want to do is give him a hug. I don't suspect a meeting would go well."

He glanced at her. "Has he gone after the children?"

She sighed heavily. "He tried to kill Yuri-chan about five days ago. Before that he tried directly for Kakei and Matsu."

"At the same time," Kurama surmised. She nodded. "Where are they now?"

"Kakei's in hiding. I couldn't find the boy if my life depended on it. Matsu is with Jina. They're both waiting for the verdict on Yuri's condition, but I doubt the little one will make it."

Kurama was silent for a while. "Erus needs to be killed, Dai."

She slouched slightly. "I know," she muttered in a biting tone. "_You _do it."

"You wouldn't let me, even if I tried. You know that."

She made a small, bland noise. They sat quietly for a long time before Kurama's deep eyes turned to her. She blinked sleepily back at him. "Yes?"

"This is the first time we've had a civilized conversation."

She rolled her eyes. "We've had plenty of civilized conversations…"

"They simply end with you trying to kill me, or vice versa." He tilted his head, long red hair pooling on his shoulder with the movement.

"Well." She folded her arms whilst raising her knees and set her head on them. "I've got a bad back." Her mouth closed and she stared down at the grass briefly.

Kurama's eyes turned upwards, towards the tree branches. "Do you still want to kill me?"

Her eyes flickered towards him before, with a big sigh, she flopped over on her side. "That's a dumb question," she muttered. "Kick me awake in the morning. It's going to be cold."

Dai turned her head and looked over at the bushes in the distance. She grinned and waved an arm flamboyantly. "Good night, Hiei-san!"

She was rewarded with a stiff 'hn' before Hiei's form shot out of the bushes to occupy the branches not far above Kurama's head.

Kurama watched Dai's eyes shut instantly and her breathing deepen. Finally he closed his own eyes, mindful of the sounds of life coming from the forest around them.

This was going to be a long mission.

* * *

"Jesus," Yusuke muttered, rubbing his arms in an attempt to keep warm. "It's – it's _snowing, _for crying out loud…"

"Of course it's snowing," Hiei snapped irritably. "Declaring it out loud isn't helping things, fool."

Kuwabara huffed in annoyance from where he'd been attempting to make a fire. "Shut up, would you? Dai _said _to bring something warm, Urameshi?"

Yusuke glared. "Y-y-you think I l-l-listened to _that _n-n-nutcase?"

The hilt of Hiei's sword slammed into the side of Yusuke's head.

"OUCH! DAMN IT, HIEI!"

"Hn."

Kurama paused in his step from where he'd been walking back into their little camp with firewood under his arm and stared at the two.

A silence passed.

"…never mind." Kurama walked past with a mushroom sigh. Kuwabara yawned as Kurama dropped more firewood next to him.

"Where's that fox, anyways?" the teen asked. "I haven't seen it around since yesterday…"

Kurama smiled politely. "I doubt you'll be seeing her again."

Yusuke's communicator buzzed. He pulled it out and opened it up with a scowl. "What?" he grumbled.

"_I said I wanted a morning report!_"

Yusuke's scowl grew. "What's to report, stupid?" he demanded. "I'm cold and tired! That's it!"

"You don't mean to tell me you haven't moved a step from where I left you yesterday?" Koenma's voice demanded incredulously.

"No! Your stupid pet won't wake up!"

"WHAT?"

Irritably, Yusuke turned to communicator so Koenma could see the sleeping heap that had remained dead to the world all morning.

"DAI! YOU WAKE UP THIS INSTANT!"

As though startled awake, Dai's head shot up. Her black eyes were moody. "_What?_" was the sharp question that fell from her mouth. It was never good to wake up a sleeping dragon.

With a grunt, Yusuke tossed over his communicator. Dai snatched it out of the air with the most irritated look ay of the Tantei had seen on her up to this point. "Master."

"Why isn't Erus dead yet? _I want him taken care of, Dai!_"

Dai frowned at the tiny device for another moment before she snapped it shut and threw it into a tree trunk. It shattered on contact. The demonness continued to glare at its pieces for a full minute before she slowly pulled herself up from the snowy ground and brushed off her thin clothing. Finally, she took a deep breath and scratched the back of her neck. Her foul expression faded.

"That's not the way to start a fire," Dai laughed slightly, looking down at Kuwabara, who was attempting to rub two sticks together. "You need to find two rocks and-,"

"You broke my communicator," Yusuke said in a hollow voice.

"So sorry," Dai replied, though she didn't sound at all sorry. She was fishing through the snow at her feet for stones. "I'm not much of a morning person."

"Dai…" Kurama began, sweat dropping.

"Aha! Here we go! Now, Kuwabara-san, you take this rock and sort of snap it against the other, and then you have fire." Dai spoke as she used the rocks to create a spark that then caught on the wood and slowly grew into a crackling fire. "There! Now you can make yourselves some breakfast!"

Hiei folded his arms. "With what?"

It was quite obvious all the wildlife had left due to the snow. Dai paused and looked around, scratching her neck thoughtfully.

"Do humans eat fish?" she asked curiously of Yusuke.

He glared at her. "Of course we do," he grumbled. Dai grinned happily.

"Well, there you go! There's a stream in _that _direction!"

"And what do you think we'll catch fish with, eh?"

Dai blinked, looking as though the answer was obvious. "Your…hands…?" she blinked again. She looked incredulous. "You do know how to catch fish, don't you?"

"No," Yusuke and Kuwabara said together, flatly.

There was a silence.

"Humans," Dai sighed, turning on her heel. She grabbed Yusuke and Kuwabara and began dragging them through the forest.

"Hey! Leggo! Leggo!"

Five minutes later Yusuke and Kuwabara found themselves standing at the edge of a stream. Dai stepped into the water and shuddered, as if the contact flushed through her entire body. She walked into the middle of the stream and looked down at the water before crouching down. After a second, her hand shot into the water and when she pulled it out, she was holding a large, wiggling salmon.

"Food!" Kuwabara yipped excitedly.

Blankly, Dai dropped the fish back into the stream.

"Hey! Don't tease like that, come on! We're hungry!" Yusuke whined as Dai stood up again and walked to stand on the other side of the stream. She folded her arms.

"That's how you do it," she said. "So catch your own fish."

"WHAT?"

"We can't do that!" Yusuke snapped.

"If you're hungry, you will," Dai replied lightly.

"The water's too cold! We'll freeze!"

"Then stand on the edge." She hopped across the stream and started walking back towards the camp. "I'll make sure the fire doesn't go out!" she called back happily.

"Bitch," Yusuke grumbled behind her.

* * *


	6. Impulse

**

* * *

**

Impulse

"_I am wind, I am red, the lives of many are destroyed in my stead, before I fall you will see the wrath of that which you have awoken, I bend only before my master and lay misfortune at your feet…_and…_"_

Dai faltered. She tapped her temple thoughtfully. "Now what came after feet?"

Dai looked down at her feet curiously, as if they would politely reveal the answer to her. She wiggled her fingers along her jaw thoughtfully as the others continued on infront of her.

Ignoring her, basically. Or trying to ever since the Fish Incident...which is apparently never to be mentioned. _Ever._

Thoughtfully, Dai raised her eyes to the snow laden trees around her. "Feet…feet…there was a whole lot of fancy words about snuffing it…and then the red thing again…" she smiled in satisfaction. "Which is quite the idea, if I do say so myself-,"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP!"

"Don't yell," Dai blurted out in a scandalised tone, blinking at Yusuke's irritated face. "In any case, I was talking to myself. No need to be so stiff." She pat his shoulder and carried on past him.

Yusuke's eyebrow ticked.

"By the way, the fish smell is definately coming out!" Dai called back to him happily.

"THAT'S SO IT!"

"Don't yell," Dai warned in a jumpy voice yet again. Yusuke stormed up to her.

"I've had enough of you! You won't tell us _shit, _you're dragging us through this stupid mountain pass without saying a _thing _about where we're going, and I'd have gone home by now if my Communicator wasn't broken!"

"It broke?" she blinked.

"YOU THREW IT INTO A TREE!"

Dai stared at him. Slowly, her expression melted into a simple little smile.

"**Lie down on the ground and don't move.**"

The Detective blinked. "Eh?"

Grabbing his collar, Dai shoved him face first into the ground before sending a pointed looked to the others and she dropped down next to him. Kurama quite calmly complied, as if it was completely normal to be ordered on the floor. Hiei dropped from his tree, shoved a yelping Kuwabara to the floor and got down himself.

Something high above them let out a loud, piercing roar. A fierce wind rustled through the branches of the few pine trees gathered around them. As the roaring continued, they all winced. Kuwabara started shaking.

"Don't move, Kuwabara-san," Dai whispered.

"I'm trying," the teen whispered back in a pained voice. "That noise…"

The roar abruptly rose in pitch.

"Ah!" Unable to restrain himself, Kuwabara reached out and covered his ears.

Instantly Dai reached out, grabbed his wrist, and with a sharp 'stay down!' to the rest of the Tantei, she took off running. Two seconds later an enormous white…_something _dived through the trees in a flurry of pine needles, in hot pursuit of the two.

Dai kept running, even as Kuwabara stumbled over stones and roots.her grip on his wrist was so tight Kuwabara could feel him hand going numb, but no matter what she kept running at an insane speed until –

Until, abruptly, Kuwabara felt himself falling.

It was only a short distance, about seven metres, before Kuwabara found himself plunging into ice cold water. He met the sandy bottom almost immediately and got up to find the water about waist deep; Dai was already up and watching the circling creature like a hawk.

Kuwabara blanched upon getting a good look at it.

It was a dragon. It was an absolutely _gigantic _dragon. Kuwabara doubted he was as tall as even one of the huge thing's big claws. It was pure white with a long, winding body covered in fur and angry, malevolent red eyes. Its wild mane was a bright red colour and it bore long, sharp horns on its great head.

Dai – the insane idiot – was watching it with amusement.

"Going to attack me in my own element?" she asked slyly, splashing a bit of water around with her free hand.

It roared at her.

"Come on, then," Dai goaded. "Come on."

Kuwabara had a good mind to tell her not to goad the large giant, as he had no real want to be squashed, especially in freezing cold water. But to Kuwabara's surprise, the dragon only circled once, let out a loud hiss, and disappeared with a powerful gust of wind.

The moment he was gone Dai turned to him with a worried expression and walked him out of the water.

"I'm sorry," she got out in a squeaky voice. "I completely forgot ningens die in water that cold…" blinking, she rapped his forehead lightly with one knuckle, as though doing so would enlighten her as to the condition of his person. "Did I make you sick? Are you sick?"

"Uh," Kuwabara blinked a few times. "N-no, I just…I…it's really…" the world began blotting out; everything started to blend in with the black of Dai's hair and eyes. "…c-cold…"

The last thing Kuwabara heard was Dai clucking her tongue.

* * *

Kuwabara could feel something very blissfully warm wrapped snugly around him. Smiling slightly, the teen let out a big, content sigh.

The warm thing around him shifted and slipped away. Surprised at the sudden cold, Kuwabara's eyes blinked open and he sat up to find himself sitting on a rocky mountain-like platform with a fire crackling happily not far away.

"We can't go back to the others yet," a familiar voice told him. Kuwabara turned to find Dai sitting cross-legged on the bare floor with a brooding Hiei placed next to her, his arms folded over his chest.

"…uh?" Kuwabara got out intelligently.

"That big dragon has his eye on us, see," Dai smiled lightly. "If we went back to the others, they would be in danger aswell."

The orange-haired boy was still blinking confusedly at Hiei. "Where-,"

"Hiei-san followed us," Dai pat Hiei's head, much to the youkai's obvious vexation. "…he was worried about you."

She snorted in retort to the irritated growl he sent her way. Sobering slightly, Dai scrutinised him with a tilted head. "Are you still sick?"

"W – no…" Kuwabara thought back to the events that had occurred earlier that day; the sun seemed to have set quite a while ago. "That…are all dragons that…huge…?"

She smiled at him. "We can change size." She leant back against the rocky wall, looking from him to Hiei and back again. "I don't suspect we'll be able to go back for quite the while yet. You can go back to sleep, Kuwabara-san."

Kuwabara's expression dropped from hers for a moment. "I-," he broke off awkwardly.

Dai raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry. Kuwabara's eyes dropped.

"I – sorry about – you said no moving and – well, I never meant-,"

"I'll hear none of that," Dai cut him off with a bland smile and walked over to him. She crouched next to him. "You did your best. Better ningens than yourself have died of fright from hearing that noise." She laughed slightly. "And personally, I had fun goading Hakuba. So you get some sleep."

Kuwabara laid back down, yawning widely. "Okay…"

Dai watched Kuwabara nod off before dropping ungracefully back onto her rear end. From there she let her back hit the ground before tipping her head to see Hiei's stiff form. "He's not so bad."

"Hn." Hiei's eyes remained firmly on the fire as it sparked and crackled. "You would have done us all a favour to leave him for dead."

"Oh, really." Dai turned onto her stomach and rested her head on her arms. "Are you quite sure?"

Silence was her answer. Dai closed her eyes. "You'll have to keep talking to me," she began in a hazy voice. "Or else I'll fall asleep."

"I have nothing to say."

"No? Well then, dazzle me with questions."

Hiei's eyes glanced from the fire to her and back. She laughed a little with her eyes shut. "I'll answer you, you know," Dai said. "I've never been good at denying you things. Just ask, and I'll give you an answer."

"Giving an answer and giving the correct answer are two different things," Hiei muttered, appearing unabashed.

"Oh, _nonsense,_" she waved a hand lightly. "The fact is that _every _answer is the right answer, the only difference being they come from various perspectives."

Hiei scowled. "Fine." He snapped out evenly. "Why won't you kill this youkai?"

Dai adjusted her head so that her chin sat on her folded arms and she was studying the fire with a thoughtful expression.

"It's my fault Erus is as he is in the first place," she said finally. "It's not fair of me to deny him what he wants."

Hiei regarded her coolly. "What does he want?"

"At first I thought he just wanted me dead, but it seems…"

Dai paused. Her eyes were quite blank, but there was a shift in her demeanor which made Hiei think she would very much prefer to be on the move. "It seems that instead," she continued softly. "He would like to kill my children right infront of me first."

"Then you should be guarding them."

"Not true." Dai sighed slightly and blinked a few times. "If Erus is looking to kill them with me as his witness, I'll just stay far away so he won't be as inclined to do so. I already learned that lesson."

Hiei was silent for a while. Dai's eyes slid shut again. "Talk, Hiei-san," she murmured in a dazed tone.

"You can't avoid hibernation," Hiei stated coolly.

"I could if Youko-sama was around." She sighed dramatically. "He knows the stupid plant that's supposed to help with this sort of thing…"

The youkai watched her shift around with a frown on her face. A frown began to form across his face, aswell.

"You were his mate at one point, weren't you?"

Dai paused. "Whose mate?" she asked slowly.

"The mate of the fox."

There was a long, terse silence. Dai, who had paused in the middle of sitting up, was looking at him in a strange way as though she was scared of something. For a full minute, there was nothing to fill the air but the crackling of the fire.

"No." Dai sat up completely and smiled faintly at the demon. "…no."

* * *

"Huh," Dai set her hands on her hips, observing the sky above them. "It's still snowing. Wonderful."

"The oaf hasn't moved since yesterday." Hiei stood over the sleeping Kuwabara, looking as though he was toying with the idea of kicking Kuwabara awake.

"I wonder if that's good or not," Dai mused, scratching her head.

"Hn." Hiei reached down and picked fish a fairly large stone out of the snow. "He'll wake up," the demon stated coolly. He was about to chuck the rock at Kuwabara's head when Dai moved past him with a little smile.

"It's no trouble if he sleeps."

She reached down and took Kuwabara's arm in hand before carefully bending down and sliding the tall teenager's form onto her back. Finally she straightened, smiling apologetically. "Sometimes this ningen body bothers me…sure, apposable thumbs are a plus, but there's not space to _carry _anything."

Hiei remained silent as they began to tread through the snow. After about twenty minutes, he spoke. "There's no one following us."

Dai paused and opened her eyes. She'd been walking with them shut through the open meadow. "Well, I'd just feel safer if we took a day or two to reach Youko-sama and Urameshi-san. It's hard to tell with Hakuba."

"An ally of Erus?" Hiei assumed blandly.

"Currently…" she smiled. "I'm sorry. I'm not very forthcoming, I suppose." She almost tripped on a rock hidden under the snow. After regaining her compusure, Dai continued. "Hakuba wants me dead, too. But that's nothing new, he's been looking for my head for the past three hundred years. He can wait in line."

"I suppose you wouldn't explain why."

"Why?" she her smile grew. "We had a disagreement. I used to be part of his clan. He's the head of it, you see. But now I'm not, and I'm the head of my own little clan."

Hiei said nothing after that. Dai glanced to him. "This clan of mine," she began informatively, looking again at the white wonderland infront of them. "It includes all of my children, and their children, and their children." She laughed slightly. "No one told me when I took the job that I had to be present at _every single birth._"

Hiei remained silent. Her eyes trailed back to him as the smile on her face shifted slightly to something less humourous, and more warming. "It might just be my arrogance and pig-headedness speaking," she mentioned. "But I do include all those children I cared for throughout the years in this humble Clan. Of course…I'd need your permission to have you part of it officially, but you are always welcome within my family, Hiei-san."

Hiei stopped. Dai stopped a step after he did.

"You're pitying me," Hiei snapped. She smiled serenely.

"That might be."

"You're _toying _with me," the demon growled, setting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I'm not," she chimed.

"I have no connection to you anymore," the demon hissed. "Stop doing that. Stop caring. Stop _smiling, _you imbecile."

She bounced on the soles of her feet. "I like smiling." She argued. Dai tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You're making this hard for yourself, Hiei-san."

"I don't need you to warp my life with your childishness," Hiei's grip tightened on the sword. "You're wasting your time and breath. I could kill you now and save many people a thousand year's time, because I know you wouldn't stop me."

Her hazy black eyes were still watching him calmly even as the smile grew. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I don't think you are. If you were so sure of yourself, you would have drawn your sword on me the moment your hand touched the hilt." She shifted Kuwabara on her back. "And you're still not looking me in the eye."

Turning, she wandered ahead. "Oh, look! More snow!"

Hiei glared after her. "Don't turn your back on me!" he snapped heatedly.

"I've turned my back on worse things," Dai muttered from ahead. Louder, she called back without turning. "If you're this passionate about it, then take a shot, Hiei-san."

For a moment Hiei lingered there, poised in his fighitng position with his sword ready, glaring at her back. Boldly she paused, set Kuwabara down, and stood there with her back to him.

"Why are you waiting?" she asked listlessly. "It'll make you feel better."

Hiei's eyes narrowed into slits within a milisecond he had attacked. His katana struck her left shoulderblade, sliced through her thin shirt, made contact with her skin –

and shattered.

The shards of Hiei's sword sprinkled across the snow at his feet as he stared at the hilt remaining in his hands. After a moment, Dai turned her head and smiled a little at him.

"See? You feel better, don't you?"

Hiei dropped the hilt and let it fall with a dull thump in the snow. "Hn."

As he started walking ahead, Kuwabara sat up sleepily.

"Eh…? What's goin' on?"

* * *

"_Ah! Hiei-san!"_

_A little youkai child of about five stopped on his way to the fountain. He glanced back curiously, red eyes blinking as he watched a young-looking woman with choppy black hair and vivid black eyes scramble over to him. _

"_Hiei-san," Dai said again as she reached him, smiling excitedly. She was wearing a kimono of rose and green that swept across the floor. She took his hand. "Would you like to have some fun?"_

_Hiei nodded. Dai nodded back happily, but paused. "Where's Neko-san?"_

_Hiei glanced down at his free arm, in the crook of which was pinched a little stuffed cat. He glanced up at her again. Her smile grew. _

"_Perfect! Come on, then, come on!"_

_She turned and guided him back towards the large mansion with white walls and elaborate gardens that served as their home, but instead of pulling him into it she walked right past in and to the other side before crouching behind some bushes. Hiei followed suit, looking at her curiously. She giggled softly and pointed towards what lay beyond the bushes before helping him to see. There, near the rosebushes, stood Kuronue-sama and Youko-sama, along with a few of their subordinates. _

_Dai nodded to Master Kuronue, who was standing with his back towards the bushes. _

"_Go pounce on him," she urged happily, in a hushed voice._

"_Pounce?" Hiei whispered back, confused. _

_She tapped a talon against his green skin and nodded. "Scare him," she explained. "You can do it!"_

_Hiei blinked a few times before he smiled back and walked around the bushes, arms raised into scary claws. He stomped right up to Kuronue and grabbed the demon's leg. _

"_RAR!"_

_Kuronue blinked down at him. "Oh my," he put a hand over his heart. "You scared me, Hiei-chan! Please don't eat me!"_

"_Rar!" Hiei said again excitedly. Dai appeared behind him. She clapped her hands. _

"_Way to go, Hiei-san! You did it!"_

"_You're very scary," Kuronue admonished, picking up the child and playfully scrutinising him. He peered over at Youko. "You should go scare Youko-chan, I think he'd like it."_

_Youko's tails flicked. "Think again," he stated._

_Dai smiled and took Hiei back from Kuronue. "I think its time we found out where Erus has gone," she decided. _

"_He's run off again?" Kuronue frowned slightly. _

"_He's somewhere inside, I think…" Dai looked thoughtfully at the mansion. She glanced back down at Hiei. "Do you think think you and Neko-san could help me find him?"_

_Hiei looked at Neko-san for advice. After a minute, he looked back up at Dai. "Yes," he replied. _

"_Excellent! Tactic number one!" Dai turned and moved back towards the mansion. "ERUUUUUUUUS!"_

"_Itai, koi, my ears…"_

"_You'll live," Dai threw back at Kuronue. _

_Hiei saw Kuronue stick his tongue out at Dai's retreating back.

* * *

_

"Ah," Dai stumbled slightly, blinking as she rubbed her nose. Hiei walked past her, giving off a sense of exasperation.

"Three times in twenty minutes."

"You've been keeping track of how many trees I run into?" Dai rubbed her neck, looking fascinated.

"Hn."

"Geez, the snow just keeps on coming, doesn't it?" Kuwabara trudged through the knee-high snow, shivering. Luckily, he _had _listened when Dai had said to bring something warm and was wearing a nice, thick winter coat. But still… "It's _freezing,_" he whined.

"Look on the bright side," Dai hinted, popping up next to him. "It could be worse. It could be hailing."

Her eyes flit from the ground up to the sky, blotted out by only a few tall pine trees. Kuwabara rubbed his hands together and followed her gaze confusedly. "What?" he asked.

Dai leant towards him and pointed up the mountain not far from themselves. "Do you see it?"

Kuwabara stared at the white mountain. There was nothing out of the ordinary with it, as far as he could tell. It was white, and it was a mountain. "See what?" he asked dubiously.

"Squint. That little black blob."

Kuwabara squinted. There, far above there heads, was a little black blob he could manage to identify as a person. "Who's that?"

"Kosuke-san," Dai's hand dropped but she kept watching, as as she did, thousands of other, little black blobs came into view from around the mountain and they started charging past Kosuke, down the mountain, and towards where the three of them were currently standing.

Kuwabara's eyes widened. "Uh oh…"

"Ah!" Dai raised a hand. "In this situation, I vouch we run."

She turned only to find a mass of demons charging towards them from the plain of snow they had just walked through. She moved a step backwards.

"Ah," she said again, a little less enthusiatically.

"I don't suppose you have a weapon hidden in your boot or something," Kuwabara began hopefully.

Dai blinked at him. "My boot?"

The orange-haired teen rubbed his back. "Well, at least Hiei's got his sword!"

An empty scabbard was chucked at the ningen's head.

"AH! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SWORD, PIPSQUEAK?"

"Who are you calling pipsqueak, you oaf?"

"SHUT UP!"

"This is the last place to listen to your incessant babble. Do you think you could handle shutting up?"

"At least I'm not _short!_"

"Is that the worst insult you can come up with? I preffered you unconscious."

"Kuwabara? Hiei?" a familiar voice rang through the air. Kurama emerged from the pine trees, followed by Yusuke. The two stopped short.

"…what…" Yusuke looked around. Hiei and Kuwabara were standing together in the snow, whilst a ways away from them dead bodies littered the ground as far as the eye could see. "What happened…?"

"Eh?" Kuwabara glanced around. "Holy crap! What happened?"

"That's what I asked _you, _idiot,"Yusuke stepped tenatively into the open. Kurama's eyes swept across the area.

"Where-,"

"WHERE THE HECK IS THAT WEIRD CHICK?"

Hiei glared. "Detective-,"

"This is her fault, isn't it? Everything _weird _that's been going on for the past two days fall on her shoulders." Yusuke folded his arms, his eyes moving across the bloody field once again before his scowl deepened.

"I swear I don't know what happened," Kuwabara continued, looking winded. "Hiei and I were yelling – and I don't know – Dai was right there a minute ago…"

"Yusuke," Kurama frowned at him. "I don't think you understand. Dai is cold-blooded, so its her instinct to-,"

"Hibernate." Dai smiled slightly from where she abruptly stood next to Kuwabara. "…yes…but, there are more important matters right now."

She looked fine. Smiling and cheery. But Kurama was watching her almost uneasily. Still, Dai shifted her weight from foot to foot and sighed slightly.

"It would be in your interest if you started going that way." Dai pointed to the right. "Now. As fast as possible. Oh, and I broke Kuwabara-san so you'll have to fix him."

"Why? What're you doing, having a party?" Yusuke glanced around, as if expecting partygoers to pop out of the trees. Dai laughed slightly but nodded her head towards the right persistantly.

"I'll be up soon. Go on. Run."

The wind picked up. Dai made a sharp noise as if she'd been struck by something. Kurama almost autoatically stepped forward.

"Dai-,"

"You're a very curious bunch," Dai laughed. It sounded painful. "Look. Let me put it this way…you leave…or I'll eat you."

"You can't eat us!" Yusuke yelped.

"What – do – you – think – I – _eat, _Urameshi-san?" Dai's tone finally split. Her posture was getting heavier by the second. Forcibly, the smile was set back in place. "Nevermind. Humans are too salty anyways." The stronger the wind got, the paler Dai appeared. "Just. Leave."

Yusuke took a step forward and grabbed her collar. "Or _what?_" he snapped. "What the _hell _do you think you could do to me?"

"Think? I don't think, Urameshi-san." In turn, she grabbed his collar and yanked him down, hard. "I work completely on impulse. And if you do _not _leave within the next three seconds, either I'll kill you," the wind grew to an almost unbearable level.

Dai blinked slowly, threats passing out of her mouth even as the tired look grew a little heavier every moment.

"…or someone else will."

* * *

woot. i'm going to sleep now. (snore)


	7. Walking Away

**So...it's a bit short. (laughs nervously)**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Walking Away**

**Note…dragons can change form into any animal. They can also change size. I'm pretty sure they have a weakness to iron, and their natural enemies are tigers. RESEARCH! Mwaha. **

With the biting wind came snow. Demon bodies were soon hidden under three inches of the chilled substance. Dai watched the pale flanel of her pants disappear under a hoarde of snowflakes. Funny. She didn't feel cold. Was she that tired…?

The crunch of snow alerted her to someone's presence. The wind intensified to the point where trees were starting to bend over backwards. A stray leaf, rare evidence of the hot climate that had conquered the area only days ago, fluttered violently through the air. Dai rubbed her neck. Her throat was dry.

"Alone?" a deep voice rumbled like stones grating against the earth.

"Let's get this over with…" Reaching down, Dai picked up a handful of snow.

The voice turned very slightly snide. "You're tired, aren't you? Never could you gain the proper control. Never could you rebel against your base instinct without help."

Dai lifted her eyes upwards to study the rugged, square-jawed face of the tall man who loomed over her. The shadow of a beard, steel gray in colour, speckled his chin. Ice blue eyes stared at her out of a haggard, aged face that had spent long years in the sun. His steely hair was just as short and clean cut. He wore a long mantle over his shoulders, a long, blood red scarf coiled loosely around his neck.

"Pointing out the blantantly obvious." Dai let the snow drop. "So…are you here to kill me? Still harbouring that hate? It tends to build up over time, I know."

"You dishonoured our clan the moment you saved that monstrosity," Hakuba's tone was ice. "I was lenient with that…_thing _you called a mate, but I cannot tolerate the shame forced on us all after you took in that Forbidden Child!"

Dai's smile was wane. "Oh, daddy," she began softly. "You never see anything but the negative, do you?"

The growl that came forth was thunderous. Out of nowhere Hakuba held a large sword in his big hands and was swinging it with surprising grace towards her. With just as surprising speed, Dai jumped past it. Instantly his attack shifted and sliced right down the place Dai appeared moments later. It was endless, ruthless, lightning quick, gaining so much speed and momentum that from a watcher's point of view even the sharpest pair of eyes wouldn't have been able to judge who was where.

Abruptly the wind shifted and Dai was thrown back into a huge, thick tree. A soft hiss escaped through her teeth as her body slid to the ground.

"No tolerance." Hakuba, suddenly infront of her, tilted her chin with his sword. "Half asleep. Slow reactions." His cool eyes narrowed. "You can't even withold against the iron in my sword, can you?"

"You've been stuck on killing me for three hundred years," she whispered. "Why haven't you done so yet?"

He stared at her emotionlessly. "You killed your mother."

"If you say so…"

"You were promising," Hakuba continued. "You were feared. Even after that youko cast that curse on you, you were a weapon of war. And then…"

"Then I had a child," Dai finished gently. "And it did to me when it didn't do to you, daddy."

He snorted. "And just look what happened to that child, Dai." He bent down and in one smooth motion, slammed an open palm under her jaw. Using this, he pushed her up the tree to his standing level. "Erus is a dead shell. He wants your life to end by his hand. And as his grandfather…" his talons clenched around her jaw until blood was streaming to the ground. "I must honour his wish."

Dai's hands were limp at her sides.

"Mm," was her lifeless reply.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This isn't _like _you, Kurama," Yusuke ran his fingers through his hair. "Dammit…this isn't like _me, _either." His eyes stared a hole into Kurama's shoulder. The damn…stupid…_fox _wouldn't look at him. He was staring at the gorforsaken _ground! _As if it was going to do anything out of the ordinary!

"Why do you bend to her so easily?" Yusuke demanded heatedly. Kuwabara was sitting with a blanket against a log. Hiei was nowhere to be seen. "You said she hates you! I don't see it! And even if you _think _she hates you, you aren't the type to cave like this and force us to leave just because that nut thinks she can stay half-asleep and handle some sort of enemy at the same time!"

A bird chirped somewhere in the distance. Even here, in this snowy clearing shrouded by thick pine trees and well away from where Dai had waved them off, the wind was still rushing past steadily.

It was hard to see Kurama's expression. His hair cascaded past his shoulder to hang gently against his face, making only the line of his nose down to his chin visible.

"Worried, Yusuke?" he asked, and his voice had a soft tinge to it that was almost absent. "Why should you be?"

"Don't act like that!" Yusuke snapped back. "I'm sick of you and Hiei and _her _keeping secrets! Why won't you tell me what's gone _on _between all of you?"

"Maybe she would." Hiei had suddenly dropped from the trees. He looked pissed. "If you had stopped yelling long enough."

"Yeah, and maybe she'd still just ramble! Why don't _you _tell me, Hiei!"

The demon's eyes narrowed. "I don't see how it's your business."

"Will you two just shut up?" Kuwabara moaned from his place on the log.

"How frustrating it must be," came a voice from above Kuwabara. A shadowed figure was perched in the pine tree, behind the thick branches. "To have such small minds."

Reflexively, Yusuke took a fighting stance and aimed his finger towards the treetops. Kurama pulled a rose from his hair. Hiei took a fighting stance aswell.

"Who the hell are you?" Yusuke demanded.

"Who are you?" the voice replied. "Someone unimportant. What worth would you be to her?"

"SAY THAT AGAIN, PUNK!"

A Spirit Gun hurtled through the air and blasted straight through the thick branches. There was a silence before Yusuke grinned triumphantly and pumped a fist.

"Yes! I got-,"

"Ningen." A tall, black-haired, purple-eyed man with a long, pale face and an empty expression appeared infront of him. Kurama's eyes widened. Hiei's eyes narrowed. Yusuke blinked.

He was…almost…_pretty, _to look at, with pointed ears and a long, crème coloured kimono draped over his shoulders. One of his eyes had a large chunk of red in it, and his straight hair seemed to droop about him in a soft, relaxed way. His ears were pointed. His nimble, clawed hand reached out and pressed the tips of his talons against a shocked Yusuke's jaw. "Tell kaa-san I'll be waiting on the mountain."

Like a breeze, he disappeared.

Yusuke gagged and cursed all at once. "That freak touched me!"

"Who the hell _was _that?" Kuwabara wondered. "And how the hell would we know his moth – wait…"

Yusuke paused, too. "The only chick around lately is the Creepy Lady," he said slowly. "So that must've been one of her kids!"

There was a silence. Expectantly, Yusuke looked down at Kurama. The fox stared back, blatantly unresponsive.

"You're suppoed to add something like, 'Good thinking, Yusuke' or, 'Great dectuction' or something smart like that," the Spirit Detective hinted.

"You're correct."

There it was. No interest, no enthusiasm. A blank voice from a blank face. Yusuke frowned.

"What's up with you, lately?" he wanted to know. "Ever since you _shepherded _us over here-,"

"Look," Kuwabara huffed, for once taking the position of mediator. "It's cold. In fact, it's really, really cold. And there's not much we can really do without Dai around-,"

"-not that she was really leading us _anywhere_-,"

"SHUT _UP, _URAMESHI!" Scratch the mediator part. "DO YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA?"

"_Yeah, _actually," Yusuke hissed, prodding him in the chest. "I say we start going _up _that damn mountain! I wanna know who that guy was!"

"You want to _climb _a mountain," Hiei remarked, sounding less than optimistic.

Yusuke 'tsk'ed and folded his arms. "You want to wait around? Cool. I'm going up the mountain. She can catch up – she told us to leave in the first place."

With a soft breath Kurama stood from his place. Kuwabara glanced over at him.

"You going, too, Kurama?"

"I'd rather not sit," was Kurama's quiet reply.

Seeing as Kurama was going, Hiei apparently found the task worthy of his efforts. Kuwabara got up, stifling a sneeze. "Well, I ain't waiting around by myself," he said stiffly.

And so they went. _To scale a mountain. _

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

To the surprise of the Tantei – well, anyone who was actually warm and/or stupid enough to express surprise by then – the mountain wasn't so steep that it was impossible to walk up. Infact, except for the problem of layer beyond layer beyond layer of snow and mile beyond mile beyond mile of mountain waiting for them before they reached its peak, it seemed fairly less complicated than the foursome would have guessed.

But that was the positive outlook.

Yusuke Urameshi was ignoring that.

"It's – so – _cold!_" he moaned, rubbing his arms as the icy wind beat against him.

"What are you whining about?" Hiei snapped. "We haven't even left the shelter of the trees yet."

"Yeah," Kuwabara shivered. "J-j-ju-just wait t-t-ill we get out-t-t there, Ur-r-r-amesh-sh-shi," he managed a shaky laugh. "You won't s-s-stand a second in th-th-the open!"

Okay. So maybe – _maybe – _Yusuke was rethinking his decision.

Didn't mean he had to say it outloud.

"It's getting dark," Kurama observed finally.

"I couldn't sleep this cold," Kuwabara moaned.

Hiei 'hn'ed. "Fool."

A sudden, faint warmth envellopped the four. Yusuke blinked. "Wow, is that you, Hiei?"

"Obviously, moron."

"But Hiei won't be able to keep us all warm if we're scattered about," Kurama said, his voice lacking it's usual life. "We'll have to stay close."

They all knew what that meant.

"Hell no."

"I'd rather eat my own eyeballs!"

"If they so much as touch me, fox, I'm going to snap them like twigs."

Kurama simply stared at them. "You'd rather freeze?"

The silence was uncomfortably stiff.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The wind had calmed by about midnight. Dai wandered through the trees, watching the snow glitter in the moonlight. It'd been years since the last time she'd been awake to see snow. The youkai wondered thoughtfully where on earth those four could have been going by walking up this mountain. Oddlings.

She smiled to herself, pausing to rub her legs and thighs, trying to get some heat. Being cold blooded was a downside during the winter, obviously. But strangely enough she hadn't been feeling many effects of it yet; she suspected Youko-sama had been putting herbs in her water for the past few days now.

Where _were _they?

Dai moved past a tree and stopped. She stared at the scene infrotn of her. Slowly, a smile grew over her mouth.

_Don't laugh, _she warned herself.

It was difficult. It was very difficult.

The Rekai Tantei were lying together on a patch of grass, the snow around them having been melted. They were all in a close proximity to eachother, from left to right being Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara.

They looked so _cute…! _

She stifled a choked little noise, but kept the large grin as she walked over and knelt by Hiei's head.

"That's so generous of you, Hiei-san," she mentioned in the quietest of voices, smiling down at his sleeping face. "I'm proud."

The instant she, too, was within the proximity warmth reentered her system and woke her up a dramatic amount. Dai's hand reached out almost instinctively towards the youkai and hovered over his spiky hair. Finally she replaced her hand in her lap with a breif sigh.

"All you children," she sighed. "You all grow up."

Next to Hiei, Yusuke stirred. Amused, Dai lifted the mental curtina that usually masked her Spirit Energy to his senses selectively and watched him start of slumber. He sat up on his elbows, alarmed.

"You," he got out in a choked tone.

"You must be all that I've heard," Dai surmised. "To pick up on me while asleep."

"When the hell did-,"

Dai raised a finger to her lips. "Your ningen friend needs to sleep. Youko-sama and Hiei-san have also been under stress lately. It would be rude to interupt there sleep, hm?"

"But it's fine to wake me up," he groaned, but in a quieter voice, as he slumped back to the ground. Realising his position between Hiei and Kuwabara, a little colour came to his cheeks. "If you tell anybody-,"

"I am not aquainted with anyone who knows you personally, Urameshi-san," Dai assured calmly. "And come the end of my master's command, I'll be gone again. You don't need to worry."

He fell silent briefly. Dai felt her attention flit away towards the moon. She studied the area around her and sighed slowly.

"…there was a guy," Yusuke's voice recalled her senses. "He came up to us yesterday. Said you here his mother."

She turned her eyes down to him, trying not to laugh. "Erus."

His eyes widened a little. "How do you-,"

"You smell like him." She slid her fingers down a lock of black hair. "Do you know he's my son?"

"No," he yawned widely. "Wait…did Kurama say something about him…?"

"Yes," she ran the pad of her finger down one talon lightly, feeling its tickle. "Erus was my first son, the child I had before giving birth to Youko-sama's twins."

"Uh huh," Yusuke muttered sleepily. She knew he didn't register a word she said. Dai felt her smile give a little and reinforced it. She stood up and blanketed her energy again.

"Goodnight, Urameshi-san."

"Nn…"

Dai looked at Kuwabara's sleeping body. "Good night, Kuwabara-san."

She looked down at Hiei. "Good night, Hiei-san. And good night, Youko-sama," she moved ot the last body and stared at his closed eyes thougthfully. "'Do I want to kill you'?" she mused.

Dai snickered and turned away. "What a dumb question. Nasty old prune."

She walked away, humming a little.

----------------------------------------------------------------

ahaha, I was reminded of the Without a Paddle scene where they huddled together in a cave or some such thing. Don't own that, or Yu Yu Hakusho.


	8. Peering Past the Veil

**joy** and elation! two more chapters after this, then we're puttering towards the sequel.

I DON'T OWN YU YU HAKUSHO.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Peering Past the Veil**

Nasty old prune indeed.

He was not a prune. He was not nasty. _And he was not old. _

Where on earth did she think she could possibly go in her condition, in any case? Kurama walked a way behind Dai's frail, teetering form, knowing she was getting much too tired to notice his presence. She was completely vulnerable, and it wasn't as though she wasn't wanted dead by a number of powerful people.

She wandered past a large tree and just nearly tripped on a fallen long.

"Dai," Kurama opted for calling her name. The sooner he brought her back to camp, the sooner she lied down and maybe even got some warmth from Hiei, the better. She stopped and looked around, only realising his presence when he was right in front of her.

Another thing – she'd actually thought he was _asleep _when she'd arrived at their little 'camp'…did she think he was an idiot?

"Ooh, good morning, kitsune-sama," she swept into an off-balance bow, which was unusual for Dai because if there was one thing she prided herself in, it was her bowing. She straightened and glanced him up and down. "When did you get red hair?" she asked incredulously.

"You need to sleep," he remarked, taking her arm. There were herbs he could use to keep her awake, but she needed to get a healthy amount of rest first. This was ridiculous.

"Are we going to a _party?_"

"No."

"Oh, pity, I was hoping for some sake –,"

"Dai, please."

She snickered. He knew then she was only fooling with him. Pausing their walk she redirected him in her original direction. "Why don't we walk this way…?"

"You know you're tired."

"I know you're _controlling._" She hummed and walked with an airy expression, arm hooked happily around his.

He passed her a rather frigid glance from the corner of his eye. Irritating. She was forgetting who exactly the elder was in this situation.

"Question."

He glanced at her again. She was studying the road ahead thoughtfully. "Yes?"

"Why do you think I would want so badly to kill you?"

Discomfort. "You tried to kill me when I approached you for the first time after my apparent death."

"Oh." She smiled slightly. Her legs started to give out. Kurama grabbed her around the stomach and helped her to stand again. "That's right…"

"We're going back," Kurama turned. She snorted, removed his arms by the wrist, and continued walking.

"We're walking forward," she opted lightly. "Question."

This was nonsense. "What is it, Dai?"

"Are you afraid of dying?"

"What makes you come to that conclusion?"

"You're still alive. You're human, even. What made you so desperately escape the afterlife?"

"No one wantsto die."

"Are you sure?"

Pointed glance. "No one _mentally stable _wants to die."

She smiled sheepishly. "I wouldn't know, then. Question."

Kurama toyed with the idea of telling her she was shaking. He decided against the comment. "Yes."

"Have you ever been to Kuronue's grave?" her feet stopped. Kurama turned his gaze to the area around them only to find it was a large cavern she had led him into. Tombstones, white, shining tombstones glowed in the soft light that filtered in from a moderate hole in the ceiling. They lined the walls on stair-like rock walls, each one with a tiny, homemade stuffed animal.

All but one, that stood in silent glory before them, framed in snow.

"Mm."

Dai slid to her knees. Kurama's first thought was she had lost strength, but instead she placed her hands carefully in front of her and slid her body low to the ground in the most honourable bow she could muster.

After a moment, she straightened her back and sat up, carefully approached the tombstone, and sat down against it. Her body curled around it with familiarity; her arm slid around its pale stone, her forehead touched its frame gently as her fingers moved delicately, lovingly over the kanji carved on its surface.

After a while, she tilted her head. "Those are my children," she said, a little smile crossing her face. "Every child that I've ever cared for and failed to protect is here. With Kuronue."

There was a change in her tone every time she uttered his name. Her voice would go soft and her hazy eyes would refocus only to settle on a point in space, mouth revering every consonant, every vowel of the name as though speaking it the wrong way would bring the world down crashing.

Kurama knew he shouldn't watch. He shouldn't stand in this cove filled with everything that had passed her by, everything worth living for that she had outlived. He could remember the thousands of stuffed animals she would spend painstaking hours creating with her haphazard skills and with Kuronue sitting next to her, making little comments of amusement or teasing when she specifically told him to stay quiet.

He knew the small, pale hands holding his old friend's stone so passionately were not meant to meet his skin. He knew her black eyes weren't supposed to grace him with the pure, unadulterated reverence he had never seen so completely on another's face.

Kurama knew he was not supposed to see her. Not for what she was. Not for what Kuronue had seen her as. He was supposed to see a tired, powerless old woman mourning her mate's death.

What he did see was everything he had ever refused himself in this lifetime…and most of the last.

Her mouth curved into a smile. "Kuronue," she said again, turned her head inwards so that her nose touched the rim of the stone. "He was good to me."

'_No one wants to die.' _Kurama's own words floated back to him. He watched her caress the stone and speak soft things to a ghost who was surely listening.

Kurama was alive. Kuronue was not.

If Kurama said no one wanted to die, she would make death look inviting.

Kurama wondered to himself when a simple, hundred-year-old accident had turned into _this._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Hiei contemplated in what way it would satisfy him most to recklessly murder his idiot companions.

He glared at the both of them. Pointedly Hiei had forced Kuwabara to sleep as far from him as possible. Still he had somehow managed to get himself in this damn predicament.

The position that vexed him so was…_unforgivable. _He was not a _stuffed animal _for the two humans to – to _cuddle, _for the love of Enma.

Just as Hiei was about to unleash his wraith, someone giggled.

Hell no.

Hiei craned his head to see Dai smiling faintly at him from Kurama's back. Said fox was looking pointedly away with a completely innocent expression.

"Hiei," Dai began warmly, her voice faint and varying in volume like a bad radio station. "Thank you for being so generous. Kuwabara-san was very much in need of some warmth."

_Damnit. _

Kurama's mouth quirked very slightly. Hiei growled at him but that did nothing to help the expression.

"If you're not _too _comfortable," Kurama began, making him the top man on Hiei's Kill List, "Would you come here for a moment? Presently, Dai would benefit most from your heat."

Whatever. Dai smiled and rested her face on Kurama's shoulder. "I'm very warm, there's no need."

Hiei kicked Kuwabara off him much more forcefully than he probably needed to, shoved Yusuke away from him and got up. Storming over, glare practically taking hours off Kurama's life, he reached out and clenched his fingers stubbornly in the hem of Dai's shirt.

Her smile faded. He didn't mind. No smile meant no faking. Instead she relaxed on Kurama's back and looked at him, focused.

"Argiatou, Hiei-san."

And her eyes shut. Hiei found himself almost-alarmed until Kurama made a small noise akin to a chuckle and turned to him fully. "We could let her sleep for a while."

_Whatever. _

The fox was still looking at him. "_What?_" Hiei hissed.

"Are you going to let go?"

Irked, Hiei looked down at his hand, which was still clinging to Dai's oversized blue shirt. He let go and narrowed eyes at Kurama's deceptively calm expression. "Shut up."

Snow-covered, Yusuke sat up lazily. "Wassit…? I'm cold…"

"How utterly shocking," Kurama murmured, obviously amused.

The Spirit Detective rubbed his eyes as Kuwabara sat up next to him. "Check it out, Kurama's in a good mood again."

"Oh good," Yawned Kuwabara. "He was creepy before. Hey…" Kuwabara blinked slightly at the mass of black hair on Kurama's shoulder. "When'd she get here?"

"Middle of the night," Yusuke muttered with more than a hint of resentment. "Bitch…"

Hiei's foot became acquainted with the side of Yusuke's head. "OW! WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR _PROBLEM?_"

"If you haven't learned by now to shut _up_ about _that woman _I am going to incinerate – your – mangled – remains," the youkai hissed venomously.

"You're just scared to say it, aren't you?" Yusuke snapped irritably. "You really think I'm that oblivious? Don't you think I've already _figured out _that you know each other? What the hell _is _it? Was she your girlfriend or something?"

If it hadn't been for Kurama's quick reaction, Yusuke would have definitely been bleeding. Hiei's eyes were wide in anger, hands half-clenched at his sides and looking ready to jump at the Detective even with Kurama's shoulder blocking his path.

"Yusuke," Kurama warned.

"I'm sick of both of you lying to me, alright?" Yusuke snapped, folding his arms. "You know what a team _is, _right? Dammit, we've been through _enough, _I thought that you'd at least trust me by now to tell me at least more than the _shit _I have now!"

A silence followed his words. Hiei's anger slowly turned into his usual cold, empty look. He folded his hands across his chest. Finally, he turned away.

"My life is none of your business."

Frustrated, Yusuke glared at his back. "I'll just pump it from _her, _then!"

Hiei stopped. His head turned. Boredly, he answered, "If I thought she'd talk, she wouldn't be living."

The Detective made an angry noise before turning his glare on Kurama. "And what about you?"

Kurama looked at him quietly. "She had my children accidentally, and it ruined her life. She's not my mate. She never was. Dai has and always will belong to the children she loves."

The fox shifted Dai's sleeping body on his back and turned slightly. "Not as earth shattering as you'd hoped, I'm sure. She wasn't being secretive. It's only that Dai isn't accustomed to telling her life story to people she's known for four days."

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She was choking him to death. Kurama knew she'd wanted to kill him.

Reaching up, the fox managed to pry loose one of her arms from his neck. It didn't help that she was completely dead to the world, and so completely unmanageable. Not to mention she was _heavy. _For someone so scrawny it seemed almost physically impossible.

Kurama had been keeping tabs on Yusuke and Kuwabara, who were walking through the snowstorm a little ways behind him, and Hiei, who was trudging through the blazing winds a little ways ahead of him.

Silent Treatment. On Hiei's part, not his, of course. Kurama knew Hiei would come around when he wanted to. When that would be, however, was debatable.

It came to Kurama's attention that Dai was snoring.

Wonderful. Had she always snored? He couldn't remember. Kurama felt her turn her head so her hair was warming his neck and her hand rested on his shoulder.

It bothered him that he couldn't pinpoint the moment in which his attitude towards her had changed. They were usually cool and cordial with each other; short, to the point. That hadn't been happening as of late.

Did she want to kill him?

The question crossed his mind yet again. He knew she _had. _He'd come to visit her a few times the past few years, in secret (meaning without the knowledge of her master, whom she accidentally told him about whilst trying to decapitate him during his fourth visit to her garden), and every time they met she'd raved and stormed at him, hardly the cheery, oblivious person she was now.

Not that he didn't understand. He existed. He, the one that she'd mated with purely by accident whilst Kuronue was gone and she was in heat. And Kuronue, the one that had forgiven her, the one that had loved her and her bastard children, the one who had forgiven _him_, _he _had died.

She never spoke to him again about it. He didn't stay long during the birth of Matsu and Kakei, his twins. He hardly took part in raising them and had felt no remorse when they referred to Kuronue as 'father'.

Mistake. Ignorant mistake.

All this considered she should still hate him. She _had _hated him before, especially when during his visits her newest charge, Mahiru, had developed a liking to him and she was forced not to revert to violence or cursing in her presence. But abruptly she wasn't arguing with him. Abruptly her tone wasn't on the verge of frostiness.

She wasn't pushing him away.

Kurama felt her arms tighten on him again and sighed. That wasn't a good thing.

"Hi_ei,_" Kuwabara groaned behind him. "How long are you going to keep this _up?_"

Nothing. Kurama frowned and titled his head to shield himself from the brunt of the snowstorm. It was going to be a long day.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"Youko."_

_The fox's longtime companion grinned at him. Youko kept walking as he slid into step next to him. "What?"_

_"What would you say if I were to perhaps propose a deal?"_

_Youko's ears perked slightly in interest but he didn't turn his head. "If you were to actually follow through with the terms."_

_"The very idea," Kuronue adopted a shocked tone. "That you would even think I would do something so _dishonest _as to not follow through with the terms-,"_

_"Explain the deal, Kuronue."_

_"In exchange for one of your valueless, irritating and disposable possessions, I would give you a third of the amount of gold in my name."_

_"And a valueless, disposable possession would be worth that amount?"_

_"Most definitely. A wonderful offer, don't you agree?"_

_Youko finally paused in the hall and turned his amber gaze to the crow. Kuronue was still smirking. Gold always caught Youko's attention. _

_Still, Youko remained completely unreadable. "And what is this possession you want?"_

_The grin widened. Leaning against the banister, Kuronue pointed downwards towards the main foyer. Leaning against the doorway with folded arms and closed eyes was a pale, frowning woman whose long, black hair only just fit wildly into a low ponytail._

_Youko raised an eyebrow. "You want Dai."_

_Kuronue let his hand drop with ease. "I'm glad we're on the same page."_

_"Dai is a dragon."_

_"A very pretty one, don't you think?"_

_"It took me several years to find something to blackmail Hakuba into giving me a dragon with," Youko continued, calm. _

_"Blackmail? You're so _dastardly, _Kurama-,"_

_"Not to mention I bound her to follow my will."_

_"Yes, there is that glitch. I'd need you to hand over that power, as well."_

_Youko stared at him. His tails flicked slowly. "She's tried to kill you three times."_

_"I think it means she likes me," Kuronue fingered his Red Amulet, still grinning. _

_The fox frowned. "What use is she to you?"_

_Kuronue paused and looked at him. He cocked his head. "Are you curious?"_

_Youko remained silent. The grin came to life yet again. _

_"Then agree to the deal," he prodded lightly._

_The tails flicked again. Youko's eyes travelled from Kuronue to the brooding slave 'keeping guard' at the doors and back. _

_What was Kuronue aiming for? "Half your gold," he demanded coolly._

_"It's yours," Kuronue simply seemed to get happier._

_Amber eyes scrutinized him oddly. "I agree."_

_"Wonderful," Without hesitation Kuronue hopped over the banister, walked over to Dai, and kissed her. _

_Kurama's ears tilted as he listened to the following _'SLAM' _and her sharp yell. _

_"You sick bastard!"_

_Youko let out a lone breath of exasperation. Kuronue was infatuated with the woman, for the love of Inari. With another flick of his tails, the fox walked boredly away with sounds of violence and anger ringing through his senses._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Out of nowhere, the Tantei found themselves free of the snowstorm and standing in clear, crisp daylight without a sign of even the lightest breeze.

"Oh – my – God," Yusuke groaned and fell on his knees. "I'm so, so hungry."

"I can't feel my nose," Kuwabara moaned.

Kurama sighed and set Dai down. He pulled some herbs from his pocket before glancing at Hiei.

"Wake her up, please," he requested calmly, nodding down to the woman who was still dead to the world.

Hiei 'hn'ed. Flames erupted around Dai's body, melting right through the snow. Yusuke jumped backwards in surprise.

"Woah woah woah! Hey! You'll fry h-,"

"Ah," Much to the Detective's shock Dai sat up happily in the middle of the fire and stretched hr arms in front of her. "That feels very nice. You're my hero, Hiei-san."

He visibly cringed at the word 'hero'. Dai rubbed an eye and blinked as Kurama crouched in front of her and the flames abated.

"Yes, that's right," she remarked, stifling a yawn. Her mouth tilted in a half-smirk. "_You're _here."

He held out a dark green, slender vine with delicate leaves. It seemed to be covered in a transparent sap.

"It'll keep you awake for the next twenty four hours."

"I'm so excited," she remarked, leaning back on the palm of her hand.

Kurama remained unabashed. "Eat it."

Crooked smile. "No."

The next thing Dai knew she was choking on the damn plant, which had been forcibly stuck down her throat. Kurama clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Eat it," he repeated in the same tone as before.

"Won't she suffocate if he does that?" Kuwabara asked quizzically.

When Dai finally swallowed the plant Kurama stood up, brushed the snow from his legs, and carried on normally. Dai gagged.

"Hey, will you get us some food now?" Yusuke pleaded.

She rubbed her throat, blinking. "You're hungry?" she inquired quizzically.

"Yes, we're hungry! How _long _has it been since the Fish Incident?"

She raised an eyebrow, glanced up the mountain, and smiled slightly.

"Don't just sit there and grin! Is there anything we can eat around here or what?"

"I don't know," she remarked innocently.

The Spirit Detective glared. "What that supposed to mean?"

"Do you have a parent or guardian, Urameshi-san?" Dai regarded her talons.

He blinked, not expecting the question. "Yeah…"

"Are you in any way alienated from this parent or guardian?"

"…no…"

"Then I'm not your mother," she concluded happily. "And you can find your own food."

"WHAT? YOU LITTLE-,"

"Keep walking," Hiei muttered boredly, continuing up the mountain. Enthusiastically, Dai hopped up and followed him.

"Sheesh, and _she's _the mom of all Kurama's kids?" Yusuke rubbed his neck.

Kurama's eyes widened. Dai stopped. She turned around, and for a moment Yusuke could have sworn her eyes were blue. Her expression was pale, surprised.

"…ah…"

Satisfied with her reaction, Yusuke folded his arms. "Yeah, that's right, Kurama told me about your little _rendezvous _back in the day-,"

"Yusuke," Kurama warned softly. "Please don't…"

Kuwabara squinted at Dai's form. Yeah…yeah, her eyes were definitely turning blue for some…reason…the teen took it as a bad sign, especially that Hiei had moved next to her and looked as though he knew Yusuke's punishment was coming. "Uh, Urameshi-,"

"Who…do you think you are?"

Dai's tone was soft. Her eyes were hurt. Yusuke looked up at her, frowning. Obviously he'd wanted some angry reaction.

The youkai swallowed slowly. "Who do you think you are?" she repeated, as though legitimately trying to understand his mind. "Why are you proud? You're happy that you know I am useless, worthless, you're satisfied to bring me pain…you think you've accomplished something, you take pride in the fact that it bothers me…"

The blue colour of her eyes was almost overwhelming in its vibrancy. Yusuke opened his mouth a few times, unable to speak. "I – no, I didn't mean-,"

Her stare got emptier and emptier. "Are you happy to know that I betrayed Kuronue? That the man we're going to kill is my son? That every time you complain to me that I should hurry so you can return home, I was trying to work harder towards getting the courage to do so? Who do you think you are, Yusuke Urameshi? You weren't there when I told my sons they were the result of an accident. You weren't there when Kuronue returned only to see that his mate and his partner had betrayed him. You never saw Kosuke cry as a child when Erus would verbally bear down on him for being a bastard child, an ugly, forbidden creation."

Dai's expression was lacking in courage. Her eyes wer empty. Her tone was hurt.

"I have no words to express my disappointment in you."

Yusuke opened his mouth several times, but no sound came out. Kuwabara stood beside him just as dumbfounded.

"You – you hypocrite!" Yusuke found his voice and clenched his fists. "Don't stand there and preach to me! I don't care how old you are, or how smart you think you are, or what the hell happened all that time ago! All I expect from you is to trust us on this mission and tell us what we need to know, because like it or not you bitch we're stuck finishing this together!" He took a step forward, glaring, and pointed at her with an accusatory finger. "For someone who's raised so many kids you've been acting selfishly this whole time! This could have been finished _days _ago, I know it could! And you keep stalling and dragging it out! I know it's your kid but this is _ridiculous! _You must know that if this guy keeps on living he'll probably kill all the rest of your kids, and is one already dead son worth that? _No! _So if you don't have the backbone to do it, **I will!**"

With that, he ran past her. Kuwabara started running, too. "Hey, Urameshi! Wait up!"

As the sound of their footsteps through the snow disappeared, Dai remained still for a few moments.

Slowly, she smiled.

"Imagine that," Dai remarked. "I've been reprimanded by a human."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While the adrenaline was rushing, Yusuke found his feet to move faster. Especially because he was pissed off. That stupid _chick, _acting all hurt and shit – she didn't have to be so _sensitive, _for Christ's sake – and then she goes and tells _him _off!

"Urameshi!" Kuwabara called behind him. "Look out – !"

"Huh?" Yusuke slowed for a second to look back at him only to sense something crash into the mountain right ahead of him. The Spirit Detective whipped back around to find that gigantic white dragon from two days ago blocking his path. Half its snake-like body was folded across the snow whilst its slender, canine-like head hovered tens of feet above Yusuke, snarling.

"What the hell?" Yusuke yelped as Kuwabara joined him. The dragon opened its large muzzle and released a powerful blast of wind towards the two, causing them to dodge in different directions.

"Dammit!" The Detective cursed as he stood only to dodge another windblast. Kuwabara brandished his Spirit Sword and charged for the dragon's big body. His attack had no affect. The dragon turned on him and with a violent whip of his tail cast the teen into a huge whirlwind of ice and snow. The attack was so rapid cuts began to appear on Kuwabara from the sheer power of the wind.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke exclaimed. Angrily, he aimed his finger at the dragon's head. "Spirit Gun!"

The shot had no affect. A giant claw came down in an attempt to crush him, but Yusuke jumped away just in time and ran for his endangered friend. "Kuwabara!"

A black blur shot out of nowhere and knocked Kuwabara from the vortex. Yusuke skid to a stop as a long, thorned whip shot past him to snap against the dragon's impenetrable skin.

"Kurama!" Yusuke looked at the redhead who ran up next to him, eyes focused on the dragon.

"That's Hakuba, the self-proclaimed God of War," Kurama explained quickly as they jogged over to where Hiei and Kuwabara were getting up.

Yusuke was incredulous. "You mean it's not Erus?"

"No, he's farther up the mountain," Kurama shook his head.

"If he insists on blocking the way I'll have to move him forcibly," Hiei snapped, removing his bandana to reveal his glowing green Jagan.

Hakuba roared. Kuwabara shuddered and covered his ears at the sound. Kurama and Yusuke were forced to dodge Hakuba's violently swinging tail.

"_Forbidden Child!_" the dragon roared. Before their eyes he changed to a humanoid form, glaring and growling.

Yusuke glanced towards Hiei. "You know this dude, Hiei?"

"No." Hiei's eyes narrowed on Hakuba. Hakuba reached within his cloak and pulled a sword from its sheath before tossing it at Hiei's feet.

"You are a swordsman, are you not?" Hakuba said coldly. "Pick it up. I want to kill you personally. But to do so, you must at least give me a challenge."

Hiei appeared vexed. Still, he reached down and picked up the sword before something about it caused his gaze to fall on the blade. "Iron."

Hakuba's lips stretched into a cold smile. "Your advantage. Now come so that I may strip your flesh from your skin, Forbidden Child."

"It's your death sentence." Hiei's grip shifted on the sword and within an instant, he had disappeared. As the attack began, Kuwabara looked confusedly at Kurama.

"What's going on?" he wondered. "How does Hakuba know Hiei?"

"I don't know," Kurama admitted. "All I'm aware of is that Hakuba has hated Hiei for hundreds of years for reasons I've never been able to figure out."

"More secrets," Yusuke mutter grimly. His eyes glanced away from the fight only momentarily. "Where's Dai?"

A pause. "Finishing her mission."

"Quick, aren't you?" Hakuba murmured as Hiei slipped past another attack only to have his own strike evaded. "I wonder if she taught you that."

"You have little right to gossip about that woman," Hiei retorted coldly as he disappeared yet again.

"You have no right to speak of her at all," Hakuba's frigid eyes narrowed. "Bastard child!"

Hiei's glare narrowed. He jumped up and delivered a strike to the head which was smoothly missed by the aged man. Hakuba grabbed Hiei's cloak and threw the youkai downwards into the snow; Hiei landed on his feet and jumped away from another swift strike.

"How do you know me?" Hiei snapped finally.

His smirk widened. "It figures she wouldn't tell you." He abruptly changed his course of motion and landed a direct strike right in Hiei's stomach, sending Hiei flying backwards ten feet. Hakuba tossed his cloak away. "Are you aware that Dai is my daughter?"

Yusuke and Kuwabara were shocked. Kurama glanced to the side. Hiei, however, only looked more irritated.

"That's worthless information to me," he muttered. "What's your point?"

"I exiled her, my daughter, for one reason only." Hakuba folded his arms coolly. "You."

Hiei stopped. Hakuba's fangs showed through his smirk. "You are the reason that Dai was exiled. You are the reason she was disowned and beaten by the rest of her clan. Because she refused to let you die or even leave you in the hands of another, her life as a revered member of our family was ruined. The burden of your life caused everything to turn sour from that moment on." He smirked. "_You are to blame. _Bastard child."

"Hiei?" Yusuke's eyes widened. "_That chick _raised _Hiei?_"

"Until he was ten," Kurama conceded quietly. "And she left him in the care of a group of assassins."

Hiei remained frozen. Dai's words echoed through his head.

'_We had a disagreement.' _

A disagreement over _him. _His life. The burden of raising him, of even _knowing he was alive _and refusing to kill him.

Hiei's Spirit Energy exploded. Infuriated, he ripped the bandage from his right arm as lightning crackled through the sky and dark clouds rolled in.

"_Black Dragon Wave!_"

The winding black tattoo disappeared from Hiei's skin to twist into the form of a rapidly flying, great black dragon. Without hesitating it charged straight for Hakuba and exploded on contact.

Snow went flying in all directions. Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara were blown backwards. As the air cleared up, Hakuba remained standing.

"Fool," he chuckled. "As if a dragon could be killed by an attack that we created generations ag-,"

His speech was cut off. In the aftermath of the attack, it seemed that Hakuba's guard had dropped. With a dull 'thump' his dismembered head dropped to the ground. Soon, his body followed.

Hiei dropped the sword as his tattoo once again appeared. "I am no one's burden."

"Score one for Hiei!" Yusuke cheered, pumping a fist. Hiei passed him a faint glare before he slid down to his knees in silent exhaustion. The three ran over.

"You alright?" Kuwabara asked as Kurama tied the bandage once again around Hiei's arm.

"Don't mother me." Was Hiei's waspish answer. His eyes began to drift shut. "I'm going to kill that woman…"

Kurama caught him as he fell asleep. Yusuke frowned. "You think he's okay?"

"He always is," Kuwabara mentioned with a big sigh. Kurama nodded.

Yusuke nodded, too. "Good. So. Up the mountain, right?"

"Yeah," Kuwabara conceded. "You ready?"

"To face some dead dude we don't know? Sure. Yeah, I'm ready."

"We will focus on Kosuke," Kurama argued.

Yusuke sighed loudly. "But, Kurama, you don't seriously think she-,"

"Dai's been ordered to kill Erus." Kurama let Kuwabara pick Hiei up before he stood. "So, despite all the delays, that's exactly what Dai has been planning to do."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Grandmother."

Kosuke's tone was brimming with hatred. Dai watched him fall into step a ways from her but beside her. She studied the snow that filled her path calmly as it turned to rockier terrain and gave no response to the cruel greeting.

"I hope he kills you."

Dai's eyes watched him as much as she could without turning her head. She remained silent as her eyes again turned to study the road ahead.

"And I hope he kills that – that _thing _that once was Youko Kurama!"

Her hand shot out and struck right through his chest. Dai removed it and watched Kosuke's body fall to the ground with a splatter of blood on snow.

Dai stood and regarded the dead body for a few minutes before she turned and walked on.

The snow started falling once again. Still, Dai could feel no cold. Her feet brought her silently through the rocky land to a small crater, in which sat her first and eldest son.

Erus resembled Kuronue greatly. That pulled even harder at her heartstrings. His empty violet eyes rose at her approach and met hers with no emotion. No feeling.

Dai's attempt at composure dropped. Her expression grew distressed. "Erus…"

His expression didn't change. "So you're looking to kill me, kaa-san?"

Already, Dai could feel the bind of servitude unwillingly pressing her body into an attack stance. A shudder passed through her body and her eyes died.

"Yes. I am."

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Stupid...line button thingy isn't working...(vexed)


	9. On Pain of Death

**I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Or a car.**

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On Pain of Death

Empty.

He smelled of death. Of dirt and decomposure.

But then, what could she possibly smell of? _Life? _

Idiocy.

Dai felt invisible strings move her hands, invade her soul, draw out her Spirit Energy. Erus watched from violet eyes, finally unfolding himself to stand.

"You're mine," she remarked in a plain tone. "Mine to raise and mine to punish. You're going to die because you are a threat to the rest of my children."

"Don't lie to yourself, mother." Erus regarded her with no feeling. His stance was ready. "If anyone deserves punishment, it would be you."

Hundreds of things passed through her brain as she moved to attack. How was he feeling? Where had he been living up here? It was far too cold…was he getting enough sleep? He looked too thin. Was he hungry?

No. No, Erus was dead. She had to keep that in mind.

Her hand slipped. The moment it did there was an opening and instant later Dai found herself bleeding from the neck. Erus gave no reaction to this and simply kept attacking.

Seconds later he stopped, violet eyes staring at her with vexation.

"Is this it?" he hissed. "Are you so hindered by your own fatigue that you can't even stand up to me? This was hardly worth the wait. Or the time."

A dagger of ice form in his open palm. Dai watched him move closer, her back pressed gently against the sheer rock of the mountaintop. "You're so ill," he murmured, tracing the tip of his dagger down one of the green markings along her jaw. "This little piece of ice can cut you like butter."

"You have to let go of this grudge," Dai insisted instead of answering.

"I will not," Erus snapped. The ice shattered and instead his palm jut against her chin and propelled her head straight against the rock wall. He then pushed her further upwards by her skull, leaving marks of red on the wall beneath her.

Something large slammed into Erus from the side and grabbed her as she fell before passing her over to another pair of arms. She found her back pressed against someone's warm chest, and her eyes staring at the deep blue colour of someone's cloak as they stood in front of her. Instantly she recognised the head of long, white-silver hair.

"Kakei," she choked out, beginning to start forward. "Kakei, step aside-,"

The arms bracing her tightened. "Kaa-san," another voice pleaded. "Kaa-san, just let Kakei take care of it – you're shaking-,"

Something shot past just as quickly. Dai turned in the direction of the shot and saw Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara carrying an unconscious Hiei. Erus saw them, too.

"Mother's little toys," he observed. "How about you sit and play nice?"

Ice erupted from the ground at the Tantei's feet.

"Hey! What the hell!" Yusuke struggled against the foot of solid ice. "Who are those people? Which one's Erus?!"

"Erus has black hair," Kurama said in a quiet, strange voice. "The other two…are the twins."

"Kakei!" Dai ignored it all, trying and failing to get herself out of Matsu's grip and closer to his other son. "Kakei! Move!"

But the more serious-looking twin did not.

"Let us go!" Yusuke yelled angrily.

"Shut up, Yusuke!" Kuwabara said in a panic as the black-haired Erus looked in their direction with growing ire. It was too late, however. Erus raised one hand, which began to glow blood red, turned to face them, and slashed his claws through the air as though throwing something. Then a blinding light was charging towards them, crackling, screaming, and growing in speed as it reached towards Yusuke with vehement momentum. Yusuke shut his eyes against the brunt of the hit –

But nothing came. Silence fell dead across the clearing as only a gentle, warm brush of wind caressed his face. In surprise, Yusuke opened his eyes.

Dai was only inches away from him, smiling faintly and lazily with her arms folded flat against the solid ice imprisoning him. Her black eyes were only at half-mast, but she seemed much more content than a minute ago.

"You all right?" she asked lightly. Her voice was so feeble it was almost incoherent.

"Yeah," Yusuke answered, still surprised.

Dai's smile widened only briefly. "I'm going to break this ice now," she said gently.

"You can't," Kurama said almost immediately from his left. There was something strange about hearing Kurama raise an argument. "Dai-,"

"You try hard to wear him out," Dai continued without looking away from the Spirit Detective. "But don't kill him, because my instincts will make me kill you at some point in the future." She again attempted a better smile. "Okay?"

Yusuke was still in a slight shock. "Yeah," he repeated, blinking.

She rested her chin on her arms and the smile dissipated as her eyes shut. However, seconds later the ice encasing himself, Kuwabara and Kurama shattered and she dropped away like a rag doll, lying in a white patch of snow that soon enough turned red. Yusuke stood, pensive, between charging at Erus or checking on Dai, but then a crash sounded from the battlefield and he jumped into action with Kuwabara at his side.

Shoes walked slowly around Dai's head before Kurama leant down and gently tilted her jaw to get a better view of her face. He smudged away some of the blood near her temple before his fingers ran down the arc of her nose and pushed away small, thin trails of moisture curving against her skin.

"You never listen," the redhead murmured. Dai swallowed weakly. "You can't do everything."

"I can do anything…" she murmured in a shaky tone. "Anything master wants…"

He shook his head. "We aren't the people we used to be, Dai. Just close your eyes. Let go of it."

Her eyes were already sinking shut.

"…first time you've seen…all grown up…" her fingers curled weakly in the snow. Kurama didn't miss the shift in colour of her eyes just moments before they closed. He cast his eyes across the clearing to the twins, engaged in both a battle of words with their older brother.

The single, legitimate son.

But Yusuke was not one for words, and without hesitation he charged straight past the twins to land a hit on Erus. Thus it began.

_

* * *

The day was going well. Dai was relieved._

_She felt bad for Youko, who had to stay at the furthermost reaches of the mansion while she was in heat. In fact, she doubted he was even in the building anymore; he had probably gone out for a long, long walk. Far away from her. But there was nothing else for it. Kuronue had still not returned and they could not risk something so painfully possible. Youko was, after all, and unmated male and she, mated or not, was alone. _

_Earlier that morning, before dawn, Youko had already ordered all of the male servants out of the manor on pain of death. Dai had done her pat to keep herself shut in her bedroom, for once irritated that the shoji screen provided such meagre protection from outsiders. She wasn't worried about being raped, of course, not someone of her stature – but to have to bother with males continuously trying to come in would have proved very trying to her nerves were it not for Youko's smart decision. _

_Dai sighed faintly, removing the outermost layer of her kimono and folding it carefully. The day was almost done, and nothing had happened. The only powerful youkai anywhere close by was Youko, but he knew to stay away from her. He was a deeply loyal character to his partner, Kuronue. And he was decent enough to her. _

_The dragon wandered towards the window and stared at the sunset, wishing not for the first time Kuronue was home. But the pull was stronger today. She wanted her mate. _

_A screech from within the household alerted her to someone's distress. By the sound of it, it was Erus. _

_Before she cold blink Dai had forced open the shoji screen and rushed down the hall, towards the main foyer and found her son lying on his back on the marble floors. When she knelt to him, asking hi if he was all right, he coughed and admitted after some time of persuasion that he had been fooling around and fell from the second floor. After assuring his health, she told him to go back upstairs and watched him faithfully comply, his black hair flouncing behind him. _

_Relief settled in. Dai turned to walk back to her room but stopped cold. _

_It seemed that someone else had also come at the sound of trouble._

_Amber eyes bored into her. Youko was standing, stiff as a board, on the foot of the stairs opposite the ones she stood by. His long tails brushed the ground at his feet and his eyes were narrowed. _

_Dai jumped a step back, instinctively. He was before her in a second, eyes narrowed even further. "Don't run," he hissed. _

_She didn't know what to do. He was closer to her now, and the scent of heat was filling his nose, overriding his logic, she knew by how blank his gaze became. She couldn't run, he would catch up. If she moved, he would grab her. If she spoke, he would not hear her. _

_Dai whimpered. _

_Youko growled. He shoved her with bone breaking force against the wall, the heavy growls rolling off him in waves as he neared her. The sound filled her ears, bled into her mind, sending only one message. _

'You are mine.'

* * *

Hiei was pissed off.

Kurama could see it; the moment he sat up and almost instantly looked right at Dai, Hiei was _pissed off._

And Kurama felt dizzy, for reasons he could not understand. The longer he sat in the snow, the more light-headed he felt. He wanted to assure Hiei that Dai was fine, just exhausted, but his mouth would not collaborate with his brain and so he only watched Hiei's crimson eyes harden with resolve, his gaze narrow as he marched purposefully to loom over Dai.

"**WAKE THE HELL UP, YOU FUCKING BITCH."**

And Dai was never one to deny Hiei what he wanted.

Her fingers twitched, and she gave a sigh. This was good enough for Hiei, who grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. Once again, Kurama's mouth, his hands failed him. He felt dizzy. Very…very dizzy.

"You lied to me!" Hiei snapped viciously, shaking Dai slightly. Dai's eyes fluttered open before they shut. "Why? Why the fuck did you do it? You _imbecile, _how _dare _you take pity on me-,"

The black-haired woman made an incoherent noise. She repeated the same syllables, over and over, slowly gaining volume.

"…ru…" she whispered, eyes fluttering open and shut again. She was trying to keep her eyes open. "…h…hir…iru…"

As Hiei watched, Dai sucked in a breath between her clenched teeth and pushed herself away from him before whipping around, eyes crossing the landscape rapidly before they landed on a tiny, black figure scampered haphazardly through the snow towards her.

Dai licked her lips, blue eyes widening, swaying on the spot. But as the colour in her eyes intensified, so did her voice. "Mahiru…"

Erus, in the midst of battle, had seen the little pup. His expression had changed swiftly; he stopped in his tracks, bolted forwards, towards Mahiru. Closer…closer…closer…

"No," Dai said in a strangled sort of way, eyes flickering back to black for a moment. "No…Mahi…No! _Erus, no!_"

But Erus was there, right behind Mahiru, who was running desperately towards Dai. Erus raised his hand, ready to strike –

Before his attack was deflected and the undead demon came to a halt before one silver-haired youko, gripping the tiny pup in the crook of one pale arm.

His tales floated slowly behind him, only just manipulated by the breeze just as his long tendrils of hair floated about him. The rest of his lean form was motionless, back straight, eyes resting silently on Erus who had frozen before him.

Erus looked as though he couldn't believe his eyes, his expression identical to those of his brothers.

"You…" he began slowly. His demeanour took on a violent change, eyes narrowing, his hair standing on end, snarls ripping from his previously nonchalant mouth. "You're dead!"

Youko stared at the youkai for a moment before Mahiru licked his cheek anxiously and he turned away without further prompt. Erus seemed too stunned to move even as the silver-haired man leant down and deposited his bundle in Dai's limp arms and briefly met her wide, vibrant blue eyes.

Then he turned and met Erus' attack head on.

His whip cracked angrily, forcing the undead youkai to jump backwards. Youko gave him no time to retaliate and instead jumped forward instantly, his expression set in stone even as Erus, now thoroughly enraged, continued to scream his indignance.

"You're dead!" he cursed, slicing through the air where Youko's head had been a moment earlier. "How dare you find the nerve to show yourself to me! You're _dead!_"

Youko threw him of his feet and watched him land in the snow without a change in expression. "As are you."

Dai looked like she might faint. Hiei tossed himself into a guarded crouch in the snow next to her, watching the battle with his usual scowl. Mahiru, curled in Dai's unresponsive arms, whimpered with her large doe eyes on the battle. Within a matter of milliseconds, the twins were upon them. Matsu clung to her side like a pup.

"Kaa-san…" he began uncertainly.

Kakei was hardly as hesitant. He crouched before his mother, his long hair pulled over one shoulder and drifting with the cold wind as his sharp, ice blue eyes probed her.

"What is he doing here?" he said very quietly. His midnight fox ears were folded against his head.

Dai, however, was staring past Kakei's shoulder, watching Youko with blatant disbelief. He'd…he'd never said he could change his appearance back to…_that…_

"He's…" she began blankly. "He's helping."

"He's dead."

Hiei looked from the battle to him. "So is Erus."

"You haven't been travelling with him, have you, kaa-san?" Matsu asked.

This, Hiei would never understand. The nature of dragons was so damn obsessive. Mothers obsessed over children, and when they were old enough, they obsessed over mothers. You hurt one dragon, you are killed by the rest.

Dai rested her head on Matsu's shoulder. She looked worse than dead, eyes barely open. "He's your father."

"I would not call him such." Kakei said gravely. He stood in one fluid motion.

"Do you hold a grudge, Kakei?" Dai asked sadly. "Are you going to turn out like your older brother? And your son?"

Kakei's eyes narrowed. Like Youko's do on occasion. "I," he seethed coldly, "Would _never touch you._"

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!"

Such a strong blast of snow shot across the clearing that everyone was knocked down, the world was blotted out, and the normally harmless flakes of ice cut and stung uncovered skin of those who were hit by the blunt of the attack. Dai felt something grab her collar and drag her off the ground to stand in the snow far from the others. She was slack in her assailant's grip. But slowly, her feet steadied in the thick snow at her feet. The snow slowed, revealing Erus to be the one before her. His dark eyes glared at her, but wariness entered the look as slowly, carefully, Dai's back straightened until she was standing on her own.

The snow became rain.

Erus let her go very quickly.

"Do you think," the woman before him said softly, tiredly, "That I will let you hurt us?"

She opened her eyes finally, sadly, blankly. Their blue colour was so thick and vibrant in hue they stood stark against the dark, overcast of the sky overhead. Erus drew backward another two steps only to find what had previously been snow at his feet was now a foot of water.

"I kill for my master," Dai said. Her tone was blank. "I live for my master. I am a weapon. I am a murderer."

From where she stood, crimson stained the water and crawled through it like ink; turning the rain to blood as it fell. It stained her skin, her clothing, and the claws resting at her sides.

"Stop it," Erus hissed, his eyes narrowing. There was a hint of fearing his voice.

She was covered in blood, from head to foot, like a dead corpse walking towards him through the sea of blood. He continued backing away as she advanced, eyes still bright, vibrant blue. "I'm stained red, Erus. My life ends in Hell."

There were ghosts, rising around her. The sky was dark, the very air seemed to pulse with foreboding. Screams of many long dead filled his ears as creatures, great black servants of hell advanced behind Dai, howling, snarling, their red eyes blazing against the sudden harsh wind.

Dai held one hand out and pointed at him with a sharp, bloodstained talon. "And now yours will, too."

His footing gave way. Erus fell back into the bloody waters. "Stop it!" he snapped louder.

Dai crouched down slowly to his level and studied him carefully. The crimson liquid stained her face and matted her long, ghostly tendrils of hair. Her gaze was hollow, haunting, as the creatures surrounded him, their jaws snapping. She touched his chin delicately and stared at him as his breath quickened.

She licked blood from her lips; fangs caught against her mouth and drew even more of the substance from her own injury. Her voice was little above a whisper.

"Do you see what I see?"

And suddenly, there was no rain or blood or ghosts or water but snow, daylight, and the dull black eyes of his mother staring back at him as the others stared on in silence. As though he had over-exerted himself physically, he felt desperately depraved of energy. His strength left him; the black-haired youkai fell back only to find himself cushioned by his mother's body.

"I hate you," he moaned, breathing heavy. "What did you…what have you done to me…? I hate you…I hate you…"

"Hush," she whispered, brushing the hair out of his eyes with careful, pale fingers.

"You never loved me…" Erus whispered into her black hair. Too exhausted to move, too tired to fight."You only saw…you only saw _him…" _the word came as a growl. "I hate you…"

"I'm sorry, Erus," she murmured to him, stroking his head slowly. "I caused you so much pain. You deserve so much better, my beautiful, beautiful boy." Her fingers traced warmly on his cold skin as his body shuddered. "But now you are my Erus," Dai whispered, fingers on his throat. "And finally, all your pain can end."

Her long fingers curled oh-so-carefully around his jaw. Erus did not see the remorse in her eyes. She tilted her head against his ear as she hugged his prone form.

"Aishiteru."

And his head was snapped to the side.

* * *

One more chapter to go! the epilogue! 


	10. Epilogue

**Alrighty, alrighty, alrighty! Last chapter, folks! Though I guess it isn't exactly a chapter. It takes places two weeks after Erus' death.**

**

* * *

**

Epilogue

Dai yawned widely and propped her feet up on the desk. "Aren't you don't yet?" she inquired lightly.

She could practically feel the murderous intent of her trainees as they continued through their task of one hundred pushups. The twenty-five Spirit Agents were in organised lines on the ground, working, sweating, panting, and hating their louging mentor with every fibre of their being.

Dai idly stirred her mug of tea, humming lightly.

"Bitch…" one of her students, Yue, muttered.

"Ahahaha! Did I say _one _hundred pushups? Pardon me, I meant _three hundred. _Thank you for reminding me, Yue."

And thus the hatred was directed to the young man who had spoken up.

Dai's black eyes slid lazily towards the door as it opened and Mahiru skipped in, her pigtails bouncing as she made her way to Dai's desk and unceremoniously jumped into the woman's lap.

"Oof! Ne, ne, Mahiru-chan, be _easy _on a poor old lizard." Her mouth tilted as she tapped Mahiru on the chin. "What is it?"

"Someone's here to see you, kaa-san," Mahiru chirped. "In the front room."

Both eyebrows were raised over an otherwize unsurprised expression. "Oh my. Would you mind staying here and watching my victims? They aren't supposed to take breaks until they finish."

Mahiru blinked. "Victims?"

"That's my codename for my students."

"Hai, kaa-san."

Dai let her feet drop off her desk's surface and set Mahiru in her big chair before strolling towards the door. "Don't slack off while I'm gone," she chirped in a sing-song voice to the trainees. The pale woman flashed them a sweet smile before walking out the door.

She rubbed her neck and walked down the empty hallway. The front foyer was a large room with big, open windows letting in bright rays of sunlight. There were a few folding chairs for the few people that did visit.

Hiei was leaning right next to the door, and coincidentally beside one of those windows. As such, the sun lit on his usually shadowed features; pronouncing the pigment of his skin, the white of his bandages, the undertones of his hair. The youkai's foreboding red eyes were closed.

Dai paused in the threshold of the hall, and smiled slightly. As though sensing her presence Hiei opened his eyes.

She studied him for a second, then smiled briefly, walked in, and sat herself in one of those folding chairs. She leant back against it with a small effort and set her hands in her lap.

"Your mother, she was scared for you. She begged me to save you, so I did."

Hiei's arms were folded. "And you got thrown out of your clan."

Dai studied the window across from her contemplatively. "I didn't like them, anyways."

The red-eyed youkai stared at her for a long time. He huffed sharply and looked away. "I don't forgive you," Hiei muttered.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she replied lightly, "But there's nothing you can do to change what happened, thus I suggest you forget about it." Dai pushed herself from the chair, rubbing the side of her head. "I have also decided to take it upon myself to forewarn you that the offer to be part of my clan has an expiry date, and should you refuse, why, I think I might just keel over and die of heartbreak here and now-,"

"Don't blackmail me!" Hiei snapped aggressively.

"_Blackmail _you? Why, Hiei-san, to think I would do something so – so _uncouth_-,"

"_Whatever,_" the youkai spat, as though he had not come to gain answers from her and she was lucky to be in his prescence.

"You're so cute when you're ready to maim me-,"

"I'm leaving!"

Dai smiled at his back as he went storming out the door. She watched him glance back briefly, and quickly look away when he found her still watching, before jumping through the portal out of Reikai with a scowl on his face.

The dragon raked her fingers through her black hair and lingered infront of the door for a while. She walked to the window and stared at the formless world outside the training facility.

Thunder broke out. It started to rain. Yawning slightly, her forehead pressed against the glass. She set her elbow against the windowsill.

"You should be hibernating at least another two weeks."

"Don't sneak up on me, Youko-sama," she said, turning around and straightening up to look at the redheaded man. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Kurama's green eyes studied her. "Mahiru wanted sakura blossoms," he explained smoothly.

"You're spoiling her…"

"I do not take that seriously coming from you. You gave her a _mountain _for her birthday."

Dai tried at an innocent expression. "She said she wanted to try rock-climbing."

Kurama smiled briefly but the expression faded. He studied her for a moment. "How are you feeling?"

"A little tired," she replied simply as he touched ht eback of his hand to her forehead.

"You didn't sleep long enough," he stressed again.

"I don't want to sleep. By the way, Kakei threatened to kill you. I don't think he appreciates looking like you."

"Dai," Kurama warned. "Please."

Dai leant back. She watched him for a while, then shrugged slightly. "What do you expect from me, Youko? This sort of thing doesn't happen everyday for me…"

"I know it doesn't." he said quietly. "They're gone. They're both gone. But time doesn't stop-,"

"-and I don't change," she finished gently. Her mouth tilted upwards. "Not for anything."

A silence passed before Dai tilted her head slightly, her smile growing. Kurama watched her lean up and kiss his cheek briefly. Settling back on the balls of her feet, she studied him.

"Thank you, Youko-sama."

She went around him and began back down the hall, stugging her hands in the pockets of her oversized white jacket. Kurama watched her in blank surprise until she stopped suddenly.

"By the way," Dai began, half-turning her head. "Mahiru's allergic to sakura blossoms. I think you're losing your touch, Youko-sama."

Kurama watched her continue down the hallway and disappear around a corner. He smiled; a curve of his lips that reflected in his bright green gaze.

"Unlikely," he murmured after her.

* * *

And we're done! Be sure to look for the SEQUEL, named 'To Ascend', which will most likely be out this week. There will be more...how you say..._romance _in it. Lots more, I'm thinking.

I AM -EXCITED-! _WOOT! _

Anyways, thanks for coming along for the ride. Now do me a favour, and click that one button we desperate writers worship:

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...ok, I'm done being weird, please review (laughs nervously)


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